The Beauty of Frank Ocean

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Azalia Munoz, Senior Spotlight Editor

Imagine an artist who only wants to create music in the most pure way possible. No drama, no publicity, just music. Frank Ocean has achieved this after years and years of creating content. Frank got his start by writing songs for other artists such as Bey, Justin Bieber, and John Legend. After meeting with Tyler the Creator, he began collaborating with him – they created Odd Future along with other artists. He has released two studio albums – Channel Orange and Blonde, in addition to the mixtapes and single he has released over the years.

Arguably, he is one of the most mysterious artists out there. He has no public social media (now has a public instagram), which many artists will use to promote music, tease new content, and connect with fans. His private life is private, not much at all is known about him. I think that’s the beauty of Frank. He creates music that resonates with young adulthood, and experiences. The music isn’t merely about one thing or another, it is so much deeper than the surface value. The music shows growth, pain, happiness, and philosophical beliefs and ideas. It’s so much more than the “music business.” Although he won a Grammy for best urban contemporary album (Channel Orange), he purposely didn’t submit his newest album to be considered for the Grammy’s. He simply releases music and disappears for a little while. Unlike some fans, I can see the brilliance in this. This isn’t some “celebrity,” he is just someone who creates music. Fans have been known to be angry at the silence from Frank, only the occasional tumblr message (the only account he interacts with) about projects, but nothing is ever set into stone. I think people are so caught in trying to figure him out, but I don’t think we’re supposed to fully understand Frank Ocean. He is so far ahead of his time, and an inspiration for us all.

I know Blonde has such a special place in my heart, and is easily one of the greatest albums of all time. It hits you in a different way, seeing as it’s such an intimate feeling. I, along with many others, value his choices to stay away from the public eye. So although we most likely won’t see him on tour, or get many interviews we can still look forward to the masterpieces he creates every couple of years.