Frank Ocean Biography

Francis Ocean is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. He is known for his witty and sincere lyrics. He became truly famous in 2012, after the released of his debut studio album Channel Orange, which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200. The artist’s second album, Blonde, topped the previously mentioned chart.

Early Career & Breakthrough

Ocean grew up in New Orleans, with the local jazz scene. During his teen years, he used to do chores for money, to be able to rent studio time. In 2005 he moved to LA in order to record and meet influential people. He began his career as a songwriter and collaborated with major artists such as Justin Bieber, John Legend and Beyonce, Nas, Pharrell Williams. However, eventually, he felt the need to step out of anonymity. In 2011, Ocean released his first mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra. It spoke about both internal and social issues. It was a major success and gained exposure for Ocean. Additionally, it led to future collaborations with the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West. 

Success & Later Years

Frank Ocean released his first studio album in 2012. Channel Orange was greatly appreciated by critics and fans alike. It also brought the artist six Grammy nominations. The songs, mainly about unrequited love, stood out due to Ocean’s talent for storytelling. Moreover, he promoted the album at Coachella and Lollapalooza. The second album took a lot to complete. In the meantime, he released Endless, a video album. Blonde only came out in mid-2016, but everyone agreed that the wait was worth it. Moreso, it came as a bundle with a magazine entitled Boys Don’t Cry.  Furthermore, the artist collaborated with Calvin Harris on his successful single Slide, in 2017. Ocean’s latest solo release is the song, Chanel, which also reached several charts.

Photo source: Billboard