On July 30th, 2017, the elusive Frank Ocean captivated WayHome Music Festival with a grandiose, yet intimate performance. He took the stage in front of thousands of concertgoers and headlined the festival with confidence and talent alongside a quietness that engrossed the crowd unlike the acts before him. Those in attendance were privy to a generational talent — whether they knew it or not ­— and he was completely taciturn, yet communicative, through his presence and his music.

The modus operandi of Frank Ocean seems to be: “to lead a blonded life.” It’s arguably a “blondes have more fun” type of mentality, as Frank does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. His Kool-Aid blue hair and meticulously set up merch booth (with an equally, or grossly disproportionate, long line — you decide) are indicative of this fact. While his hair literally represented this "blonded" notion, the tent itself read "blonded" on both sides wherein hundreds of fans chose between a variety of custom made-to-order apparel.

In hindsight, Ocean’s series of cancellations prior to WayHome seem more understandable after watching his show at the end of last month. Spike Jonze has been reported to be involved in the cinematic visuals of his performance, Tom Sachs helped intricately design his stage set, and Ocean moved and sang with a discreet deliberateness all his own. It was a seriously calculated production. The setlist stuck primarily to songs from his most recent release, Blonde, while he did fit in new and old music alike: “Chanel,” “Lens,” “Biking,” “Comme des Garçon,” “Forrest Gump,” “Thinking About You” and “Pyramids” punctuated a perfect night. The show capitalized upon his reserved popularity; because someone as magnificent as Frank Ocean does not simply step out of the spotlight and return unnoticed — especially in this day and age of interconnectivity.