The album's themes surrounds Ocean dealing with his masculinity and emotions, inspired by sexual experiences, heartbreak, loss and trauma.īlonde received widespread acclaim, with critics praising Ocean's introspective lyrics and the album's unconventional and progressive sounds.

The Beach Boys' de facto leader Brian Wilson is recognized as a strong influence on the album's lush arrangements and layered vocal harmonies, while the guitar and keyboard rhythms on the album are considered as languid and minimal.

Ocean also notably makes use of pitch shifted vocals. Its physical release was accompanied by a magazine entitled Boys Don't Cry.īlonde features an abstract and experimental sound in comparison to Ocean's previous releases, encompassing styles such as R&B, pop, soul, indie rock, electronica, psychedelia, and hip hop. Beginning in 2013 and ending in 2016, recording for the album took place at New York's Electric Lady Studios and, after a period of writer's block, in London at Abbey Road Studios and in Los Angeles' Henson Recording Studios. Initially known as Boys Don't Cry and teased for a July 2015 release, the album suffered several delays and was the subject of widespread media anticipation leading up to its release. In 2013, Ocean confirmed that his follow up to Channel Orange would be another concept album. Production was handled by Ocean himself, alongside a variety of high-profile record producers, including Malay and Om'Mas Keith, who collaborated with Ocean on Channel Orange, as well as James Blake, Jon Brion, Buddy Ross, Pharrell Williams, and Rostam Batmanglij, among others. The album features guest vocals from André 3000, Beyoncé, and Kim Burrell, among others. It was released on August 20, 2016, as a timed exclusive on the iTunes Store and Apple Music, and followed the August 19 release of Ocean's video album Endless. On this he said, “I’d rather this be my Colin Kaepernick moment for the Grammys than sit there in the audience.Blonde (alternatively titled blond) is the second studio album by American singer Frank Ocean. He continued by referencing Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers player that kneeled during the national anthem to protest the treatment of black citizens at the hands of police officers in the United States. “It just doesn’t seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down way I hold down.” “The institution certainly has nostalgic importance,” Ocean further said. “I think the infrastructure of the award system and the nomination system and screening system is dated,” Ocean said to the New York Times. The singer has won awards twice in the past. Ocean recently gave an interview, explaining as to why he decided not to submit Blonde or Endless for Grammy consideration, although his Channel Orange album was nominated six times. The double-LP vinyl version sold at $35, and the CD with a different cover was available for only $15. Physical copies of the Blonde album also became available for pre-order on Friday through XL Recordings. There was even a Blonde themed hand-shaped air freshener for $15. The zine was available for $80 and numerous posters related to the album were available for $25. The sale was available on his official website, and the singer even gave away Blonde t-shirts to fans for free. Frank Ocean joined in on the commercialism, and celebrated Black Friday by selling the Boys Don’t Cry zine and his new Blonde album on vinyl.

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