On August 20, 2016, Frank Ocean released his second album, titled Blonde (also sometimes called Blond). Despite choosing not to nominate himself for a Grammy with this album, Frank still received tons of critical acclaim and various other awards — Apple Music just ranked it #5 on their list of The 100 Best Albums of All Time — and it’s still charting on the Billboard 200 after 8 years, and for very good reason.
Frank’s ability to storytell is incredible. Every track is so personal and you can tell; “Be Yourself” is a voicemail from his friend’s mother who Frank viewed as an aunt and mother figure. She’s telling him not to succumb to peer pressure and be mindful of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. “Pink + White” is about reminiscing on the days you were younger, and uses lots of fun, descriptive elements in the lyrics that make you feel nostalgic about your own past, even if it doesn’t directly correlate with Frank’s. “Godspeed” is about something or someone behind, but in an amicable and respectful way. He sings about wishing them the best, and notes that he’ll always have love for that person or thing, and that he’ll always find home in them, no matter what.
The album is so embedded with heart and soul that no matter how often you play it, it will evoke new emotions with each listen. You pick up on nuances you might have missed before, you relate in a way that you didn’t in the past, and you understand a lyric that previously passed you by. There’s a song on this album for every situation you could possibly experience — good, bad, and everything in between — which means you have a plethora of options if you really need a song to get you through a moment. Bodies of work like this are so few and far between, and once you get ahold of one, you don’t want to let it go because you don’t know when the next one will come.
Despite its incredible production, Frank Ocean opted out of sending in Blonde for Grammy consideration. Even though he did win for his preceding album, Channel Orange, his feelings surrounding the Grammys had shifted. He didn’t want Blonde to be nominated because he wasn’t a fan of the Academy’s voting system, and felt as if what the Grammys stood for wasn’t reflective of his own beliefs. He didn’t want his work to be subject to a system that he saw as unfair, especially a piece of work that he put a lot of effort and personality into. He’s not the only person to speak out against the Grammy Awards; Jay-Z is notorious for letting people know that he isn’t fond of their values, and it’s ridiculous that a woman of color, a Black woman specifically, has not won Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill in 1999. This is in regards to BeyoncĂ©, who has lost every Album of the Year nomination to her white counterparts — even if their work was not as acclaimed or up to par as hers. He also pointed out how she has the most Grammys ever, but doesn’t even have one of the most highly regarded rewards ever.
Grammy nonsense aside, Blonde is still treated with the utmost respect among the general public and even amongst other stars in Hollywood. Every time Frank restocks any vinyl records or merch on his website, it sells out in minutes. When it was announced that he was headlining Coachella in 2023, tickets were snatched up immediately. Other celebrities have consistently praised him for this album; Rihanna, TimothĂ©e Chalamet, Adele, Zac Efron, and Pharrell are only a few examples. A lot of them have also covered songs from this album, and several artists had a hand in producing it. BeyoncĂ© does backing vocals for “Pink + White”, Kendrick Lamar adlibs on “Skyline To”, and he and Tyler, the Creator have writing credits on the album as well. John Mayer also does guitar for some tracks, so Frank’s connections run deep, and the industry is obsessed with him.
The album cover, shot by Wolfgang Tillmans, has become a staple for Frank. It’s often what pops into most people’s heads when they hear his name; it’s all over posters, shirts, and hoodies, and Rolling Stone Australia ranked the cover at #86 on their list of the 100 Best Album Covers of All Time. It’s very iconic and has become a staple amongst other album covers. I’d even go so far as to say it definitely set a precedent for the covers that came after it. Like the songs on the album, the photo is reflective of Frank’s experiences with life, sexuality, masculinity, and mental health. It’s very simple, yet so profound. The green hair became his trademark, and you can’t go around with buzzed green hair without hearing someone throw a “You look like Frank Ocean!” comment your way.
Some albums have trouble standing the test of time, but Blonde is immortal. It’s chock full of themes and topics that we all face no matter the age: finding ourselves and our identity, losing someone, yearning, wistfulness, love, and a million more emotions and experiences on top of those. If it was possible for music to be dipped into a Fountain of Eternal Youth, Frank definitely did it here. Each track flows seamlessly into the next and you can really tell that Frank was putting in endless amounts of effort in the studio. Frank has rightfully gotten the praise he deserves, but in all honesty, I still think he deserves so much more. Being an openly bisexual Black man in the music industry is not easy, and he’s made such a name for himself despite trials and tribulations. Blonde is reflective of his niche, yet relatable stories, and I can only hope he comes back to music soon to deliver another great body of work like this one.
If you’re into video essays like me, here’s a really good deep dive into the album on Youtube!
