The King of Modern Soul Returns
The American singer-songwriter is performing for the first time in years.
Every year, music fanatics from across the world converge on the desert of California, in the heat of spring, for more than a week of exceptional music shows. Yes, that famous music festival you’ve heard of before. Coachella is a party like no other, where musicians sing at the top of their lungs to mark the beginning of a new chapter: the start of the summer. It is a moment when musicians jam all night to the tremendous sounds- to the music of the future, as well as the past. Surrounded by palm trees, the tree of victory and wisdom they say, festival participants are gathering to celebrate life with others with what brings us together in moments of despair, what makes us dream, what gives us and hand when needed. By that I mean music and its healing powers. In a way, being inspired by music can set us free of worries, even if it’s only for the span of a couple of hours. Before you let anxiety take control of your life once again.
Coachella 2023 began on April 14. Its first edition was in 1999. Annually, it is held on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club, surrounded by sublime mountains. I’ve never been to the festival, but, from what I see on the web, the view is spectacular. Not too far from Los Angeles and San Diego, it’s no wonder why so many accomplished artists show up to this colossal event. Since the creation of the gathering, artists and groups from all music genres have performed, including Radiohead, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the late Prince. Right now, Frank Ocean, the elusive 35-year-old singer-songwriter, is creating a buzz.
First of all, the man doesn’t often perform. Second of all, the artist born in Long Beach is rarely seen in public at all. He is private; a man full of mystery. The last time Ocean went on stage was in 2017, over 6 years ago. The latest hiatus, which we’ve become used to in his case, is finally over. At Coachella 2023, he is set to perform twice, on April 16 and 23. You can all breathe now, the show will go on now. It will happen, unlike every time he gave us tentative dates for his latest album Blonde. A few years ago, he all had us at the edge of our seat as we were awaiting his second album, following closely his Tumblr account.
R&B fans know who Frank Ocean is. However, he isn’t the biggest name in the industry if you compare him to others like The Weeknd, Beyonce, Drake or Adele to name a few. He has a certain charm that can’t be matched by other singers. His art is unlike anything else. I like to say that he is a modern day philosopher by the way he produces his music. Frank Ocean always finds a way to talk about complicated things in the simplest ways. He doesn’t talk about love in conventional ways. Some sing about love without emotions. Some can’t make us believe the meaning of the words. With Frank, you can feel the highs and lows. You are certain that he gave his all to produce what is being put out there. That may be one of the reasons why the American artist doesn’t come out with a lot of songs. Like a friend used to say, life should always be about quality over quantity. Always try to do something well, even though it could take forever.
The singer-songwriter creates his own path, free of peer pressure from others and the industry. Frank Ocean doesn’t do interviews. Well, he did some with media outlets as he was starting his career, but nothing recently that’s for sure. Over the years, he did talk to some journalists, but rarely on camera. Let’s just say that he will never be a judge on The Voice or be the centre of attention on purpose. We will never see him talk about his personal life on a famous talk show. An Oprah special, like the one with Megan and Harry in 2021, is a big no-no for Ocean. He leaves these things for others who want to play that game. His music is what matters- the rollercoaster of joys and pains. He is simple. Quite boring in a way. A simple boring guy that loves music. This is what makes him so lovable to the audience. It is refreshing to say the least. He could be compared to the group Daft Punk. I once read a review of his work saying that Ocean is all work, no play. That still stands to this day.
Now that Tik Tok has been in the news recently, let’s talk about Frank Ocean’s relationship with technology. It won’t be too long, you will see. Social media, the art of showing yourself and trying to find a way to brag to others. To go straight to the point, don’t look for Frank Ocean on social media platforms. You won’t find a lot of things, other than his Tumblr account. You will also find some accounts talking about him on Twitter. They are imitating Nostradamus, trying to predict the future. They are not having much success on that front.
Ocean’s last post on Tumblr dates back to 2019, before things went south. Before the world entered a remarkable phase. In October 2019, his last message to the world, he was writing about a nightclub party he was hosting in the Big Apple, dedicated to the gay community and everyone we have lost to HIV and AIDS over the decades. Before that, he was publishing stuff once in a blue moon about all kinds of issues. If you ever looked at his account, chances are that it didn’t take up too much time in your day.
Frank Ocean’s most viewed and captivating publication on there is his open letter, a coming out in a way that he wrote in 2012, a few days before his first album was released. In it, the singer-songwriter opened up about his first love, his insecurities and his take on life in general. That simple text, a beautiful coming-of-age piece, changed a lot of lives for members of the LGBT community, including mine. For myself, it was a wake up call, a reminder that it was okay to be myself. It is one of the pieces of the puzzle, alongside other coming outs of public personalities, that pushed me to announce that I was gay later on. It made me realize that it was fine to be and feel different than others, that love is love.
The soul master is back, and we couldn’t be happier. Even though it might seem otherwise, the musician has done lots over the years which might have been swept under the rug. Don’t forget that Frank Ocean won two Grammy awards, one for Channel Orange and one for a song he did with Kanye West and Jay-Z.
The world also got to know him before that, on September 15, 2012. He then appeared on Saturday Night Live as a musical guest alongside his friend John Mayer. With his recognizable red and white headband, he did charm Americans that night. A voice as smooth as butter, a prerequisite for an R&B singer.
We are often told that Ocean doesn’t release a ton of music. That is true if you compare him to others. But is it really accurate? Over time, if you consult his full discography, you can see that he has an important catalogue. People get suck on Channel Orange (2012) and Blonde (2016), because they are both available on Spotify. There is more to the collection, pieces that have never been published on streaming platforms. You just need to search a little bit to find the stuff that I’m talking about. Before he made a name for himself, as he was desperately trying to make it, Ocean was under the name of Lonny Breaux. That name was inspired by his grandfather Lionel whom was his father figure during his youth.
Over 40 songs that he made back in the beginnings were leaked in 2011. These are brilliant pieces that have been forgotten by many. They are still on the web for everyone to enjoy. When Frank’s voice wasn’t on the tracks, he had contributed to the writing or producing. Before becoming famous, Ocean was in the shadows of others as a writer. Among other things, he wrote songs for Britney Spears and Justin Bieber.
Back to his projects. That’s what everyone cares about. The Lonny Breaux Collection, which is available on SoundCloud, is worth listening to. It will make you discover the man behind the prodigy, the simple guy I was talking about earlier. You will learn more about the hopeless romantic we have in front of us, the one we have fallen in love with over time.
Ocean’s first official project was Nostalgia, Ultra, an over 40 minutes mixtape released in 2011. It set the stage for what was yet to come, including with the song Novacane, which you probably heard at least once- either at an underground club or while shopping for jeans at an outlet. Personally, We All Try is my favourite on this project.
We all know what happened to the talented musician after Nostalgia, Ultra. He was successful with his first album, Channel Orange, which is mostly about the summer when he first fell in love and how it reminded him of the colour orange. It was released in 2012, during summertime obviously.
After a somewhat long pause, the introverted genius then released his latest album Blonde in 2016, which was acclaimed by many and celebrated as one of the best albums of all times. The same week Blonde came out, Ocean also released a black and white video album called Endless in which you can see him building a spiral staircase. A man of multiple talents one must believe. What can he not achieve at this point? By the way, we are still trying to figure out the meaning of that staircase if ever you happen to come across an explanation.
Since Blonde, Frank Ocean has released a couple of singles, including Biking, Lens and a cover of the immortal song Moon River, a classic that has been recreated by many.
We are now wondering if Ocean will sing some new music during his two Coachella performances. For the moment, we have no idea. Only the future will tell. Even if the singer-songwriter never releases music again, we have at least been blessed by all he has left us along the road.
What is interesting and captivating with him is that no one can predict what he will decide to do. We will have new material when the moment is right. That could be tomorrow morning or in ten years. Let’s remain patient, a virtue that has been lost nowadays. Let’s enjoy the ride, and be grateful to have the chance to hear new songs once in a while. That’s what it’s all about. Thankfully, the king of modern soul has returned, remaining true to himself in a sea full of similar people.
