Is it Blonde, or is it Blond? Apple Music lists the new Frank Ocean album, which was released exclusively on that service this evening, as the former. But a picture of its cover has the latter spelling.
While some wondered if that might just be a mistake, others speculated instead that the confusion was intentional, just the first of many dualities and double entendres on an album that confounds perceived binaries of gender, sexuality, and race.
Regardless of whether it's Blonde or Blond (I'm inclined to say it's both), Ocean's long-awaited 17-track followup to 2012's Channel Orange defies expectations, most notably its anticipated name — previously, Boys Don't Cry was the widely circulated title of the album — and its many expected release dates, which it missed one after another.
Ocean's complex album rollout began with the release of a brief, surprise visual album called Endless on Thursday at boysdontcry.co and then on Apple Music. The process continued on Friday with the release of a rich and super sexual music video for the single "Nikes," also on Apple music (and on boysdontcry.co.)
Meanwhile, pop-up shops in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and London today were carrying the anticipated print magazine accompaniment to Ocean's music. That item, which was indeed called Boys Don't Cry, is 360-page volume including stories interviews Rolling Stone reports.
inside the Frank Ocean pop up in Nolita 💕✨ you get a magazine with the album inside! I'm dying 😩😩😩 pic.twitter.com/Y84Mba3thH
— Ashley Outrageous (@aoutrageous) August 20, 2016
The magazine includes a copy of Blond(e) and seems to carry with it a list of contributors to the album, a group including Pharrell, Kanye, Beyoncé, and André 3000.
Album contributors pic.twitter.com/XLNOXTZEIS
— steven j. horowitz (@speriod) August 20, 2016
While André 3000, for example, is unmistakable on the album, the "contribution" of other artists isn't as clear. David Bowie and Elliott Smith are cited, too, perhaps for samples, lyrics, or inspiration.
Finally, Ocean included a message to fans, many of whom were outwardly frustrated by their long wait. In a play on the meme that somebody should "wake up Frank Ocean," the artists wrote on Tumblr. "FUCK, SORRY," in his typical caps lock. "TOOK A NAP, BUT IT’S PLAYING ON APPLE RADIO RN."
Later, he added, "I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE MAKING ALL OF THIS. THANK YOU ALL. ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU WHO NEVER LET ME FORGET I HAD TO FINISH. WHICH IS BASICALLY EVERY ONE OF YA’LL. HAHA. LOVE YOU."
Here's the track list for Blond/e
1. Nikes
2. Ivy
3. Pink + White
4. Be Yourself
5. Solo
6. Skyline To
7. Self Control
8. Good Guy
9. Nights
10. Solo (Reprise)
11. Pretty Sweet
12. Facebook Story
13. Close to You
14. White Ferrari
15. Seigfried
16. Godspeed
17. Futura Free
Previously: Frank Ocean Teases Us With Visual Album Endless While Building Spiral Staircase