Christopher Edwin Breaux, otherwise known as Frank Ocean, is a one of a kind musical artist, who was born in Long Beach, California on Oct. 28 1987. As an American singer and songwriter, he is considered a pioneer of a new frontier of alternative Pop and R&B wave.
He started behind the scenes as a ghost writer for artists like Beyonce and Justin Bieber. Through his hard work, he has now made a name for himself.
After leaving his previous label RedZone Entertainment, he joined the Odd Future Collective where he released his independent debut mixtape, “Nostalgia Ultra”, via Tumblr. It showcased his soulful and deep story telling message which captured the attention of the industry and audience.
The momentum only continued with the release of the album “Channel Orange”. With top tracks like “Pyramids” and “Bad Religion”, he won the grammy award for the best urban contemporary album back in 2013.
After a four year hiatus, his evolution reached its peak in 2016 with the release of “Blonde,” a top-charted album across all platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. “Blonde” is an album of pure bliss and a journey through one’s heart.
With the dreamy and vulnerable feelings of the opening song “Nikes,” to the liberating reflections of one’s nature to be free and pure on the track “Skyline” the album is truly a work of art.
Culturally, Ocean’s impact is shown through his honesty in all that he does from his music to his personality. In 2012, he posted an open letter on his Tumblr blog about his sexuality.
His post aided in breaking the often homophobic barriers around the R&B and hip-hop genres. This paved the way for LGBTQ+ representation to now be a pillar of modern day music.
“I care for you still, and I will, forever. That was my part of the deal” from the track “Godspeed” represents the emotional maturing and selfless and even unrequited love at times shared by individuals all over the world. It can also reflect learning how to let go while still caring deeply for another.
I chose Ocean because he is such an influential artist and has changed my perspective on so many things. His music evokes a sense of wonder for so many different people, really leaving his music up for interpretation and engaging the mind about so many different things.
His music encourages fans to be their true selves and embrace their emotional side, which they may struggle to reveal otherwise. His music encourages a deep reflective stillness that sets up listeners to look into their own identity which is beautiful in its own complex way.
