Blonde meets Yin and Yang
An application of Frank Ocean’s second studio album, Blonde, to the Daoism religion
Daoism, the traditional Chinese religion based upon the ideals of pushing people away from traditional social convention to more natural ideals could possibly be connected to the introspective man himself, Frank Ocean.
Since Frank Ocean’s second studio album, Blonde, released on August 20, 2016, there has been constant speculation upon the entire meaning and full understanding of what the album is supposed to represent. With consensus being confined in the album representation of duality, there are still theories as to the duality of life, of love, of freedom. With all of the speculation, and no concrete answer coming from Frank, it is possible that any meaning behind the album could be left on the table.
The connection between the concept of Dao as the cycle of Yin and Yang and the album of Blonde was something I never saw before until learning about Daoism. Whether Frank was intentionally placing teachings of the Dao and the beliefs of the Daoism religion, one can make a connection regardless. Within the Daoism religion, there is Qi.
Qi is the energy, matter and spirit of all things; all things are made of Qi. The point, matter and spirit are all just different Qi phases but it encapsulates everything. The Daoists believe that the two types of Qi are Yin and Yang; these can dominate one another over one’s lifetime.
Yang symbolizes and is characterized as bright, active, male, hot, high, etc. Yin showcases opposite characteristics like dark, cold, empty, female, passive, etc. Although they are perceived as two different types of energy and Qi based on their characteristics, they need each other to grow. The Daoist looks for balance among the two when looking at Dao as the cycle of Yin and Yang. One experiences life as both having dominated Yin or Yang throughout their life while experiencing a sense of balance of the two. This makes the cycle of Yin and Yang the way of the universe.
Blonde incorporates 17 tracks that, in total, are 60 minutes long; however, the album splits into two parts. As explained prior, this split happens during the song “Nights,” in which the beat switch perfectly breaks the album into two thirty-minute pieces, representative of two sections of the album.
The first part is supposed to represent the day, and the second is supposed to represent the night. The first half of the album incorporates instrumentals and lyrics that tell the stories of Frank's childhood, a time where he was free from adulthood worries and life was full of light and symplicity.
The second half of the album, representing the night, has virtually no drum beats, and the instrumentals are slowed down and softer. Besides, this half of the album includes harsher lyrics, with Frank describing lost loves and the challenges faced as he grew older in life.
Blonde is the perfect exploration of Yin and Yang. While thinking about the album’s conceptual theme as a whole, the album perfectly executes the cycle of Yin and Yang throughout one’s lifetime. Taking the first part of the album as the example of Yang, this part of the album explores Frank’s happy and fun past. Frank remembers when he grew up in New Orleans as a child plus, Frank makes sure the listeners visualize the bright summer days and the happiness he felt at that time. These characteristics all shout the characteristics of one's life demonstrating the energy of Yang. The tracks mainly talk about the satisfaction of youth in Frank's past, and emphasizes the relation to the Daoist view of trying to revert oneself to a time of youth and unknowingness.
The second half of the album, the one that is known as night, could be interpreted to be Yin. With the album including low points in Frank's life with introverted thoughts and actions and the instrumentals being slowed down and slow, as if it was the night, the track perfectly executes Yin. The last point that wraps the connection between the cycle of Yin and Yang and Blonde is the ninth track, “Nights,” and the beat switch.
With the beat switch perfectly splitting the album into two parts and each part representing the dominance of Yin or Yang in his life at that time, the song is the middle point, the point of balance. As the wave and cycle of Yin and Yang flow throughout one’s life, there becomes balance over time; however, there are times when this balance meets. This balance meeting in one’s life is the song “nights”.
The song perfectly encapsulates the understanding and harmony of Yin and Yang since the beat switch happens in the song that not only splits the album but, the lyrics that come after the switch showcase Frank’s understanding of both Yin and Yang before he dips into a more dominant place of Yin. Frank perfectly showcases how Yin and Yang may be opposites, yet they patch each other up in the end; they need each other to flow.
Just like the day needs the night to move on and flourish, so does Yin and Yang.
With this being said, it is essential to note that these characteristics are not supposed to be the subject of bad and good in both Yin and Yang and Blonde. Frank is not instigating that the day is good and the night is terrible, even though the tracks on both sides of the album give off different emotions and even some showcasing Frank at his lowest. Yin and Yang are supportive of one another; one needs both to grow. It can be interrupted that can see this and understands then you need one or another. Seeing his evolution from his childhood to now is his understanding and balance within the Dao.
Whether or not Frank intentionally showcased the teachings of Daoism within Blonde, it is hard to overlook the connection between the two and the impact Daoism has made on modern culture today.
Frank Ocean's Album Blonde incorporates Yin and Yang, demonstrating the cycle through ones life. Source: Joonas Vataja in 2017, Flickr