Lyrics about youth and nostalgia permeate the album and give it an ethereal and timeless quality. "Blonde" takes heavy inspiration from themes of identity and Black existentialism, and many songs reveal how Ocean sees his life and identity from different viewpoints. Other featured artists include background vocals from Beyoncé and production from James Blake. André 3000’s verse on “Solo (Reprise)” is the most prominent feature, which stands as a testament to Ocean’s artistry. It is his album through and through and other artists help bring his body of work to life.
The features on "Blonde" all add to create a universe within itself, but none of the featured artists outshine Ocean on any track. This take on different identities ties into the themes of duality and masculinity present in his lyrics. The prominent use of autotune and pitch shifting on Ocean's voice differentiates between different characters within the album. The production on "Blonde" is minimalistic and abstract: Many of the songs feature lush and atmospheric guitars and a focus on texture instead of percussion.
Scattered throughout the album are countless examples of abandoning traditional tendencies of songwriting, and these deviations highlight Ocean's evolution as an artist as he takes the listener on this musical journey. On “Nights,” the song divides into three different sections and Ocean's voice deepens as the beat progresses. On “Nikes,” the introduction of the album, Ocean leads us through two verses with a sudden beat switch in the second half of the song. One of the most notable qualities about "Blonde" is its unique and freeform song structure. 20 marked the fourth anniversary of his 2016 album "Blonde," and its impact on the music industry deserves a re-examination on how the album affected future music releases and popular culture. Frank Ocean is one of the most enigmatic and talented artists of our generation, and he has amassed a substantial fanbase ever since he debuted as a part of the hip-hop collective Odd Future in 2007.
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