For the best experience, listen to Blonde while reading this article.

 

Frank Ocean is a one of a kind artist, with every album and single he has recorded doing amazing numbers on the charts and finding its way into people's hearts. His album Blonde that was released in 2016 is no exception and has made the album more than something to just listen to. His music is extremely versatile, perfect for any occasion whether that be late night drives with your loved ones, quiet times in the comfort of your bedroom, or as you go through the tasks of your day to day responsibilities. Frank’s 5 most popular songs on Spotify from this album are “Pink+White”, “Ivy”, “White Ferrari”, “Nights”, and “Godspeed”. While Frank’s songs aren’t what you would hear on the radio, they allow a cleanse from mainstream music focusing on storytelling, heartfelt emotions, and authenticity. The 5 most popular songs in this album all share a common theme; love and loss. Even with this common theme the songs could not be more different from each other and yet, somehow, still fit together so well. 

 

Starting with the most popular song on the album, “Pink+White” is about Frank reminiscing about his youth and paying a tribute to someone he used to be close with who had passed away. It is a dedication to childhood memories “You showed me love/Glory from above/Regard my dear/It’s all downhill from here”. As Frank sings these lyrics it is clear that he is reflecting on someone who was important to him in his past. “Pink+White” is a song that feels like going through old pictures, videos and memory boxes. Filled with love, laughter, and longing. It captures reminiscing in a beautiful way and is also associated with great memories for many. 

 

Next we have “Ivy” which is number 2 on Blonde. “Ivy” is about a lost love, dealing with the emotions of finding love unexpectedly but losing it just as quickly and how beautifully heartaching it can be. He sings “I thought that I was dreaming when you said you loved me/The start of nothing/I had no chance to prepare, couldn’t see you coming/And we started from nothin’/Ooh I could hate you now/It’s alright to hate me now” The way he writes the lyrics makes it feel personal, almost like the listeners are overhearing a confession that was meant for someone else. 

 

The third song on this album is titled “White Ferrari”. It is about navigating your way through the feelings of loss, remembrance, and love. Have you ever had a dream so vivid that you felt all the emotions that there are to feel, and then could still feel the imprint they left even after waking up? “White Ferrari” feels like that. “I’m sure we’re taller in another dimension/ You say we’re small and not worth the mention/ You’re tired of movin’, your body’s achin’/We could vacay, there’s places to go/Clearly this isn’t all that there is/Can’t take what’s been given/But we’re so okay here, we’re doing fine” Frank does a mesmerizing job at leaving listeners with uncertainty, in the void between closure and understanding. It’s as if he wants to desperately run away from his heartache but even that is not attainable. The lyrics do a perfect job at capturing what it feels like to be uncertain about your emotions, but also leaves listeners with assurance that being uncertain is okay. You don’t have to figure everything out right away. It is okay to just feel. 

 

Next we have “Nights”. This masterpiece is about lost love and heartbreak, the personal growth that it comes with as well as how powerful nostalgia is. He sings; “You don’t even got nobody bein’ honest with you/Breathe ‘til I evaporated/My whole body see through” These lyrics make it seem like Frank is barely making it through his everyday life, being present physically but in a different headspace for the first half of the song. It is as if the weight of life wore him out making him “evaporate” and feel burnt out. After the first half of the song is over, the beat and lyrics do a complete 180; “New beginnings, ah/New beginnings, wake up akh, The sun’s goin’ down/Time to start your day, bruh/ Can’t keep bein’ laid off” This implies that even after feeling all the low’s that life can throw at you, it is important to push through and persevere through all the your struggles. It is a silent reminder that you can accept what happens to you and push through it, having a positive outlook on life knowing that there is always a light ahead. 

 

Lastly, “Godspeed” is about letting go of someone you love even if that is the last thing you want to do. In this breathtaking song, Frank sings “Wishing you godspeed, glory/There will be mountains you won’t move/Still I’ll always be there for you/How I do/I let go of my claim on you, it’s a free world/You look down on where you came from sometimes/But you’ll have this place to call home, always” This song is about love in its purest, simplest form. It’s almost as if he is letting his relationship with someone slip right through his fingers, letting go of someone with love and hope and even though it is the opposite of what he wants. He continues by saying that they can always find home with him although he is letting go, his love is never going to truly fade away. 

For those who like to listen to music that relate to the complexities of human emotion, Frank Ocean’s album Blonde is a must listen. This album is great because it explores vulnerability in a beautiful way through storytelling. It is music that is very hard to dislike, no matter what your favourite genre is, frank ocean has to be a part of at least one of your playlists. Every single song in this album allows listeners to relate and reflect on their lives in terms of this album.