Fresh off of the controversy surrounding the courageous admission of his sexual orientation, Frank Ocean returned his focus to the music to kick off his Channel Orange tour in Seattle this past Friday night.
Donning his signature American flag bandana, the Odd Future affiliate belted out hits like “Novacane” from his Nostalgia: ULTRA mixtape, as well as cuts from his Def Jam debut, Channel Orange.
A testament to his extraordinary cult following almost entirely built below the radar, the Showbox venue was sold out and filled with fans who sang along to Ocean’s every word. According to The Seattle Times, the most well-received song of the night was “Bad Religion,” a love ballad that gained popularity through the singer’s superb performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
While the album's physical release is set for this Tuesday, Channel Orange is expected to make an impressive debut with digital sales reaching over 100,000 copies. According to Billboard, the album may enter the charts in as high as the No. 2 spot.