Test runs for the “Nikes” video (London, 2015) A$AP Rocky films his scene for the “Nikes” video (London, 2015)Īs time went on, information about the music video slowly started to trickle out, courtesy of the video’s director. One week later, the first unveiling of “Nikes” came to be via several behind-the-scenes pictures that were leaked on Reddit on April 14th.įrank films his scene and dances at a private party, the set of his music video (London, 2015) In reality, Blonde was unnamed until weeks prior to release. Frank’s team made a brief statement regarding the name, however, “Boys Don’t Cry” became a working title amongst the media and fans. Unbeknownst to the majority, the caption was changed to “#BOYSDONTCRYMAGAZINE”. When Frank realized the public misunderstood the caption and thought the album was called “Boys Don’t Cry”, he altered it. In the now-notorious picture, he sat on a stool with stacks of magazines and captioned it with “#ISSUE1 #ALBUM 3 #BOYSDONTCRY” leading media blogs and fans to believe his album was called “Boys Don’t Cry”. BOYS DON’T CRY MAGAZINE: Issue 1Īfter 4 months of silence, Frank returned to Tumblr on April 6th, 2015 to announce an upcoming project. The original version featured an acoustic guitar but was removed to allow the song to breathe and be more cinematic, a theme that would feature heavily on Blonde. Frank had heard the song at a party in London and immediately felt that he had to cover it. On January 17th, 2015, Frank uploaded a cover of the Isley Brothers “At Your Best” titled “You Are Luhh” to commemorate Aaliyah.
In the Spring of 2014, “Swim Good” director Nabil Elderkin gave the first update in months: Multiple updates were briefly given throughout 2014 and a summer release was widely expected: Frank hinting at a Summer 2014 release (Fall 2013) The first sign of a new album came via a Q&A on Frank’s Tumblr in the fall of 2013. Frank Ocean at James Turrell’s LACMA retrospective (Los Angeles, 2014) All the while, a single hard drive, located in his backpack carried his music, country to country (a habit that dates all the way back to Frank’s songwriting days as Lonny Breaux). He’d travel to Tokyo and meet RWB founder Akira Nakai, work with Maiham Media, play music in underground clubs in Tokyo, visit the slums of Senegal and art exhibitions in LA & Paris. The European streets of London provided a source of solace, a place where he could hide from the underbelly of the industry and the glamour that came with it.Īs everyone waited for his return, the reclusive artist would mind his own business. Moving halfway across the world from the sunny mornings of Los Angeles to the gloomy nights of London, Frank went from driving customized BMW E30’s to riding electric bikes while quietly navigating through the city. More than anything, Frank Ocean is an artist whose minimalist approach leads him to prefer to have his music speak for him. As the album slowly brewed for four years, expectations rose and Frank ensured every element would be meticulously crafted to meet his vision.
The project was recorded internationally in New York, London, Tokyo and Paris and costing over $2 million to create. Long time peers Malay Ho and Om’Mas Keith were called up once again to forefront the direction.
Highlights amongst the star-studded cast included French movie composer Christophe Chassol, multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, and ex Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij. Production started after the 2013 Grammys as Frank flew in high-profile producers, artists and sound engineers from all over the world. Away from the spotlight and music industry, Frank was quietly crafting his sophomore album, Blonde. An album which saw Frank Ocean tucked away in London at Abbey Road Studios working 16-hour shifts.
This curated multimedia experience is created by Habeel J himself, the man behind the most celebrated Frank Ocean blog on the internet.Īugust 20th, 2018 marked the second anniversary of the album the world was yearning for.
Welcome to an in-depth visual re-telling of Frank Ocean’s entire creative process, from the 2013 Grammys to the day “Blonde” was released more than 3 years later. Critics, fans, and fellow artists have lavished so many accolades upon “Blonde” that there’s nothing left to say that hasn’t already been said – so we’re taking a different approach. Frank Ocean’s sophomore studio album has received massive acclaim from far and wide.