By Roya Fathalizadeh–
Over four years after the release of the iconic album “Channel Orange,” Christopher Edwin Breaux, now legally known as Frank Ocean, released yet another beautiful masterpiece titled “Blonde.”
Making his first debut in 2011 with his mixtape “Nostalgia, Ultra,” Ocean has perpetually illustrated stories and messages through his lyrics.
The anticipation continued to build while many fans and media outlets continued to share false release dates. Many of his supporters – including myself – grew impatient with the visionary, but many also did not lose faith.
Within less than a week of its release, “Blonde” topped the charts and everyone was raving over the 17-track record. “Blonde” was issued exclusively through Apple Music. A slightly different album sold in pop-up shops at the same time.
The two albums contain different phrasing from titles to track list. The album is spelled “Blond,” the male version of the term on Apple Music, and “Blonde,” the female version of the term, on the hard copy. Many say that this is a reference to the singer’s bisexuality.
The mystery of his work continued when “Boys Don’t Cry” was rumored to be the name of his the album for months. It has since been confirmed that “Boys Don’t Cry” is the name of his new record label.
Days before the release of “Blonde,” Ocean unveiled a 45-minute visual album with numerous unreleased songs. The purpose of this release was to fulfill his recording contract with the record label Def Jam Recordings so that he could start his own. Well played, Frank. It seems like fans didn’t wait 1,500 days for nothing.
“Blonde” bleeds words onto a page. It is powerful, emotionally intimate and, most importantly, honest. Ocean is known for veering away from the media, unlike most celebrities. His incognito stance leave many wondering what he is thinking and what he has planned next. He is a remarkable storyteller who believes “when it comes to understanding music, the most important thing is to just press play.”
