| "Lens" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Frank Ocean | ||||
| from the album Blonde | ||||
| Released | April 23, 2017 | |||
| Length | 3:47 | |||
| Label | Blonded | |||
| Frank Ocean singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Lens" is a single by American R&B singer Frank Ocean. It debuted on episode 4 of Blonded Radio on April 23, 2017, and was released one day later on all streaming platforms. [1]
"Lens" features warped, distorted vocals using Auto-Tune; personal and introspective lyrics about a complicated relationship; and a sparse keyboard background at a "slow and somber" pace that gradually grows in intensity toward the song's end. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Fans and critics positively received Ocean's "prolific" releases—including "Lens" as well as other Blonded Radio singles like "Biking" and "Chanel"—following the anticipated, delayed rollout of his second studio album, Blonde. [6] [7] Some speculated that Ocean's Blonded Radio singles served as hints to an upcoming studio album, but a full-length project has yet to be announced. [8] In particular, HelloGiggles wrote: "Is an experiment for Frank Ocean? Is blonded going to end up being his own way of sneaking through an entire album outside of the major music system? What else does Ocean have in store, especially as he hits the summer festival touring circuit?" [3]
In Spin, Jordan Sargent argued that the single was a continuation of the unique, defining aesthetics which Ocean had established on Blonde: "That album was, in its own way, isolationist, anonymizing its high-profile collaborations and centering Ocean’s vocals over productions that often lacked percussion, as if he had created them in the sparest way possible, with just a keyboard and a guitar. 'Lens' extends this... This is the Frank Ocean people love—unpredictable, individualistic, and above all, honest." Sargent also noted the single's addressing of the "historical weight of being a queer black man", a theme which Ocean had also powerfully established in Blonde. [9]
Vice Media called "Lens" "a mellow, self-reflexive track that has Frank crooning, auto-tuned at first" with allusions to "Chanel": "It grows from spare, mellow keys into more tense instrumentation: a pared-down, circling beat, Ocean’s own melodies echoing back; there are “smiles” and “sins” on him, but the latter wins out in the end." [4]
Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, writing for The Guardian , wrote: "A sparse, vocoder-led hum of a track, slowly built up around layers of sound that lead to a blissful, stuttering climax, with lyrics that are an impenetrable, critically appealing mess of deep emotions. Lens will remind you of how smart Frank Ocean is and how not smart you are." [10]
Immediately after the single's release, some speculated that the cover art for "Lens" was inspired by a 1980 painting by American artist Kerry James Marshall called A Portrait of the Artist As a Shadow of His Former Self, specifically "with the key parallel being a gap-toothed figure as the subject of both pieces". [11] [12] Marshall's painting had been inspired by Invisible Man by American novelist Ralph Ellison. [11] [13]
LAist observed the similarities between Ocean and Marshall's careers:
Frank Ocean was born in Long Beach and Kerry James Marshall grew up in South Central Los Angeles. They both reckon with image and the dichotomy of public and private life for black Americans, as well as the narratives American forces onto the life of black men. It makes perfect sense that Ocean would choose to recall Marshall's art with his new music release. [14]
A remix of "Lens", called "Lens V2", was released in addition to the original version. [15] [16] It features " an extended outro with swirling piano chords" as well as a feature verse from American rapper Travis Scott. [17]
Michael George Dean is an American record producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his synthesizer-heavy instrumentation and audio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. Beginning his career in 1992, he was first credited on releases for Texas-based rappers such as Scarface, Willie D, and Geto Boys, although he has since worked with artists including The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake, Madonna, Selena Gomez, Playboi Carti, and Lana Del Rey, among others. As a non-performing lead artist, Dean has released five solo studio albums: 4:20 (2020), 4:22 (2021), Smoke State 42222 (2022), 4:23 (2023), and 424 (2024).
Frank Ocean is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a Brit Award for International Male Solo Artist, among other accolades; both of his studio albums have been listed on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020).
American singer and rapper Frank Ocean has released two studio albums, one visual album, one mixtape, 21 singles and eight music videos.
"Thinkin Bout You" is a song by American singer Frank Ocean, released as the lead single from his debut studio album Channel Orange (2012). The song was written by Ocean and Shea Taylor. Originally to be featured on Bridget Kelly's debut album, Ocean released his demo version of the track for free on his Tumblr account in 2011. In May 2012, the song was officially sent to radio and released on iTunes as a single by Ocean. Kelly released her version of the track, titled as "Thinking About Forever" on her debut EP Every Girl released October 19, 2011.
Endless is a visual album by American singer Frank Ocean. It was released on August 19, 2016, as an exclusive streaming-only video on Apple Music, and preceded the August 20 release of Ocean's second studio album Blonde. Endless was later remastered and had a limited reissue in physical audio and visual formats on November 27, 2017.
Jacques Bermon Webster II, known professionally as Travis Scott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Scott has had four number-one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, along with a total of over one hundred charting songs. In addition to ten Grammy Award nominations, he has won a Latin Grammy Award, Billboard Music Award, MTV Video Music Award, and several BET Hip Hop Awards. Scott's musical style has been described as a "blend between traditional hip-hop and lo-fi" and often characterized as "ambient," with a heavily appraised influence from rappers Kanye West and Kid Cudi. His stage name is derived from the latter's real name, Scott Mescudi, combined with the name of a favorite uncle.
"White Ferrari" is a song by American R&B singer Frank Ocean. It is the fourteenth track on his second studio album, Blonde, released in 2016.
Blonde is the second studio album by the American singer Frank Ocean. It was released on August 20, 2016, as a timed exclusive on the iTunes Store and Apple Music, and followed the August 19 release of Ocean's video album Endless. The album features guest vocals from André 3000, Beyoncé, and Kim Burrell, among others. Production was handled by Ocean himself, alongside a variety of high-profile record producers, including Malay and Om'Mas Keith, who collaborated with Ocean on Channel Orange, as well as James Blake, Jon Brion, Buddy Ross, Pharrell Williams, and Rostam Batmanglij, among others.
"Chanel" is a song by American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean, released as a standalone single on March 10, 2017. "Chanel" was premiered on the second episode of Ocean's Blonded Radio. A remix of the song featuring American rapper ASAP Rocky was also aired alongside the song's premiere.
"Biking" is a song by American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean, released as a single on the third episode of Blonded Radio. It features guest vocals from American rappers Jay-Z and Tyler, the Creator. On 15 May 2017, a solo version of the track was released, following the sixth episode of Blonded Radio. It was featured in Season 2 of the HBO television series Insecure.
Blonded Radio is Frank Ocean's Apple Music 1 radio show that originally lasted from February to August 2017, with four additional special episodes that aired in November and December 2018, four more episodes from October to December 2019, and another episode in December 2021. The show is hosted by Ocean, Vegyn, and Roof Access and usually airs a new single from Ocean each episode. A fictional radio station based on the show, titled "Blonded Los Santos 97.8", was added to the video game Grand Theft Auto V in December 2017.
"Provider" is a song by American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean, released as a single on the seventh episode of Blonded Radio. Shortly after the release, Ocean released a lyric video for the song on his website, with the words on screen being highlighted by a hopping Hello Kitty head.
Michael Lamar White IV, known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. His debut mixtape, A Love Letter to You (2017) was released by Elliot Grainge's 10K Projects and entered the Billboard 200, while its lead single, "Love Scars" received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The following year, he released his debut studio album Life's a Trip (2018) and the mixtape's sequel; their singles, "Dark Knight Dummo", "Taking a Walk", and "Topanga" each entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album and its follow-up, ! (2019) both reached the top five of the Billboard 200, while his fourth mixtape, A Love Letter to You 4 (2019) topped the chart. His third and fourth albums Pegasus (2020) and Trip at Knight (2021), both peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The latter's lead single, "Miss the Rage", peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song. White's fifth album, Mansion Musik (2023), peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, while his sixth mixtape, A Love Letter to You 5 (2024), peaked at number 13.
"Carousel" is a song by American rapper Travis Scott featuring Frank Ocean, released on August 3, 2018 as the second track off of the former's third studio album Astroworld (2018).
"DHL" is a song by Frank Ocean, released as a single on October 19, 2019. Prior to being released for digital download and streaming, the track was premiered at the end of Ocean's Beats 1 radio show, Blonded Radio. Its release follows a day after Ocean announced the tracks "Cayendo" and "Dear April". It is Ocean's first release since his cover of "Moon River" was released in February 2018 and it is his first original song since releasing "Provider" in August 2017.
"In My Room" is a song by Frank Ocean, released as a single on November 2, 2019. Ocean wrote and produced the song alongside Michael Uzowuru. It was premiered on Ocean's Beats 1 radio show, Blonded Radio, two weeks after "DHL". The 7-inch single vinyl is set to include a remix by Benny Revival as its B-side.
"The Scotts" is a song by American hip hop super-duo the Scotts, composed of rappers and singers Travis Scott and Kid Cudi. It was released in various formats, including on 7-inch vinyl, cassette and as a CD single through Epic, Cactus Jack and Wicked Awesome on April 24, 2020. The song release was supported by four different visuals on YouTube.
Joseph Winger Thornalley, known professionally as Vegyn, is a British music producer, DJ and graphic designer. He is best known for his production work on Frank Ocean's 2016 albums Blonde and Endless.
Josiah Sherman, known professionally as Buddy Ross, is an American record producer, keyboardist, songwriter, and audio engineer from Washington. He is best known for his work with Frank Ocean, having produced on his albums Blonde (2016) and Endless (2016), as well as his singles "Provider" and "Moon River." Ross has also written or produced material for artists including Bon Iver, Travis Scott, Vampire Weekend, Miley Cyrus, HAIM, Arlo Parks, Fred Again, Wet, Banks, and Troye Sivan, among others.
"Nights" is a song by the American R&B singer Frank Ocean, released as a part of his second studio album Blonde (2016). The track debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, despite not being released as a single. In August 2024, a version of the song featuring Kendrick Lamar leaked online.
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