A Proustian reading of “Blonde” by Frank Ocean 

possibly the most anticipated video ever on YT

“A racist structural problem that created all those deaths-but also there was a hurricane involved” Wow. Helluva line.

The only reference I found linking Proust to Frank was actually part of the album release! In Boys Don't Cry magazine Frank interviews Christopher Chassal who brings up Proust a couple times during the conversation (in relation to nostalgia). Probably not a coincidence Frank decided to keep this in the release materials.

AVAA😊,, i also always cry with white ferrari - in my case, it takes me back to the nighttime hour-and-a-half bus rides home from an ex's house, crossing my entire city (Buenos Aires). I rituallistically listened to the entirety of blonde on that ride. What an intense experience that was for my 16 year old mind🌊

not sure if you know but blondes 8th anniversary is tomorrow!!

you dont gotta review it, but Endless will flesh out Blond so much more. the anecdotes are so much rawer they dont even feel like poetry but him just straight up explaining certain moments in his life. theyre a great contrast but also add so much to one another. and AVAA

If you haven’t heard it, I highly recommend Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes! It’s a wonderful album that’s full of literary allusions and influence from all across the history of music, and to this day it’s my all time favorite album

"Did I just win this argument that I'm having with myself?" LOL, fantastic, I think that way often. AVAA

A thumbnail and title tailored specifically to my interests.well done professor

Syd is now the singer of The Internet which is a band Steve lacy played in. Matt Martians and Syd were heavily involved in Odd Future. She was also the DJ for odd future for a tour or so. I think their Europe tour to be exact.

Finding out you went to ucsb for grad is pretty rad - coming from a student go goes there rn

AVAA, only about halfway through but re: the bakugan motif, I really haven't thought of those in ten years, and the mention conjured up an image of my dad's old living room coffee table that I also hadn't seen in that same decade. really funny how it all works. love 'blonde', maybe i should get my hands on a proust

As a college student, I absolutely adore professors that so evidently care about what they are walking about. I would take your course Professor Sky.

Oh my god this has the makings of the best RU-vid video ever

My favorite novel compared to a downbeat/art pop album? Sign me up.

Hi professor Skye thank you for reviewing blonde, hearing such a different perspective on the work was very interesting, and your video has certainly gotten me interested in Proust's writing. I was also going to ask if you would ever review deathconsciousness by have a nice life, its(as you could guess by the name) a rather depressing album that is drowning in nihilism(or at least my understanding of nihilism). The album also comes with a whole book relating to this idea of "deathconsciousness", and overall its just a one of a kind extraordinary album and in my opinion one of the best of the 21st centaury. I think hearing your take on the album and ideas around it would be incredibly insightful as your someone with a lot of knowledge and I could listen to you talk about this album for hours. Sorry for writing a lot but I also wanted to mention this. While this is not a album, I would do anything to hear your thoughts on the animated series Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is easily the most impactful piece of work/art I've ever seen(Ill be it I'm not nearly as well versed in art as a whole as someone such as yourself). Its a story with A LOT to chew on, I can't say it saved my life, but watching the show and the subsequent film The End of Evangelion was much like looking into a mirror. I have never been impacted by a work of art as much as I have been by Evangelion. Its impossible to do the series justice in just this comment box and I know talking about something like this wouldn't fit on your channel but I really think it would be something you would find interesting and something I would love to hear you talk about. Anyways, thank you for all you do for the online music community and thank you for teaching me about a lot of philosophy and writing I otherwise wouldn't know about.

I love this album so much, i didn't like it the first it came out on 2016. But I try to listen to it again in 2024. I have grown up so much and gain many experience during 2016-2024, I lost many of my dearest person in my life at that time, deal with family-financial issue, dealing with flings, the good and the bad. Now, I think this album is the most grounded and the most realistic album with the most ethereal sound that ever produced in music industry. The vocal production and mix is angelic in few track such as Self Control and White Ferrari, even close to you on that atheist line. My emotion almost overwhelmed by joy and sadness, feeling of nostalgia is inevitable. This album is really a masterpiece, divine send-it album dare I say...

AVAA This is the first video of yours I have watched. I was really craving something like this. Usually the music that touch me most has this ethereal quality to it, that is so hard to describe. I think about this music so often and feel almost crazy when I can't pin exactly why. This video scratched that itch. Thank you. Also: I think a bon iver analysis would make an awesome video/lecture.

Thumbnail goes so hard I love my French writers

YES!!!! BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOREVER. AVAA. Thank you based professor Skye!

AVAA! Definitely should do Paraffin by Armand Hammer next.

What a banging title oooofffffff

Great connection there, I always connected blonde to some of the vibes and themes of Eric rohmer movies, now I also connected that to this novel, so 3 interconnected pieces of art

Gonna read Proust after this

as hugobecookin all I must say is… profbecookin! AVAA!

You come off like Robin Williams’ character in Dead Poets Society, it’s fucking great.

whenever you get a chance you should talk about the new geordie greep single! AVAA

The passion with which you talked about art as an expression of the artists’ entire being and experience made me cry AVAA

I love this video. You assumed many of your viewers might be vaguely aware of Proust and fans of Frank Ocean's Blonde, well that's me, and I was thrilled to see this! AVAA

Avaa! Congrats on the newborn as well! Once you're able to find the time I would love to hear your analysis of the new Magdalena Bay album - Imaginal Disk

This video is not just an AVAA. It’s better. This is why I watch

This came exactly when I needed it to, halfway on swann's way

3:45 this is classic skye

AVAA! I'll add to the intertextual material with Fond Farewell by Elliott Smith being interpolated. Not quite sure why, but anyway it's interesting to talk about memories and then quote somebody else declaring 'this is not my life'

AVAA Good job getting this around an hour (which is never merely an hour!!) I’ll always associate Blonde with my two closest former friends. We were on our way back from a Kendrick Lamar concert in 2017 (really “the” concert since it was ours). The album nicely filled the ambiguous spaces between where we all were at that time. I’m no longer friends with them and it’s eerie to reflect on how well Blonde articulated the conditions of the memories I’d have of that night as they were happening then. How the happiness of that concert gave way to a sort of distance on that ride back. The dark road and the winding tracks… goes beyond my ability with words.

Hey Professor Skye, in this video you mentioned that the translation you used for Proust was not the best. Is there a certain translation that you or your colleagues prefer over that one? Hopefully one day I’ll re-learn how to read French and pick up the original. Thanks so much! 👍AVAA

best birthday gift I could've asked for AAVA

You and Path Wei both doing an anticipated Blonde reaction is an early christmas oh my god.

Congratulations 🎉 with a new child!! Great work here too

you always have a new baby! happy for you and AVAA

AVAA. What about a Dante-ian reading of Ants from up there? The narrative seems Dante coded!

AVAA, syd is a former member of odd future and also the first member to be honest about their queerness. She’s the lead singer of The Internet, which was the band that steve lacy came from, and she consistently collaborates with kaytranada. The closest modern parallel to the madeleine is Dan soder’s podcast segment where he opens 90s NBA Hoops cards with his friends. The madeleine is also mentioned by Dr Melfi in the sopranos, and Tony simply responds, “sounds pretty gay.”

Avaa, not an avid reader but I will pick up Proust. Thanks for the push Professor Skye! I think another author who does a great job at painting detailed memories that seem universal through the setting and environment of the story is O’Henry and I have loved whatever I’ve read from him as an amateur reader.

Honest Brat / AVAA (also congratulations on the baby Skye!!!)

AVAA- you're the GOAT Skye.

Beautiful Thank you

AVAA Some moments in this video and how art can convey artists relationships to their memories reminded me of the movie The Fabelmans. Spielberg's character seems to experience some of the most tenuous moments of his life as canvases for him to pain on and create art from. I feel like Frank does similar things in terms of form on Blond because there are snippets that sound like audio recordings and those beliefs/memories that he is reflecting on feel like interviews, or taped segments that he's replaying. That movie also has a notable momma's boy because the relationship he shows is very... interesting.

AVAA! Loving this album for years now

This was phenomenal

incredible video love this so much love your mind professor skye

32:50 AVAA but that Moor vid really enhanced my experience of that album

thanks for the thesis. might be just enough to motivate me to pick up reading again, in a language i got skill issue in nonetheless. avaa and congrats for the new child!

thank you professor! I will now be doing a Proust binge because, wow, his way with words is awesome. AVAA

Can you make a video on how Sun Kil Moons “Benji “ is Bolaño-ian 🇨🇱

AVAA, imma enjoy this one like crazy, blonde is a special album for me, got me through them heartbreaks

lol avaa and did anyone else notice the very casual porter robinson shoutout at the end

20:36 you are the entire kitchen 🔥 #AVAA

Professor have you heard Romantic times by Lewis Baloue? Its a very idiosyncratic album with a mysterious bit of surrounding lore. I think you would appreciate it even if you didnt do a video on it :) Cheers!

OMG I REMEMBER ALL MY BAKUGAN MEMORIES,

any recommendation for where should i start to dive into Proust? 🙏🏽 top tier video essay Professor

number 3 of the requested music should be vulnicura by bjork

Sid is the lead singer of the band the internet who is also a member of odd future! AVAA

I did not expect this but AVAA. still waiting for the 4:44 reaction.👀 Congrats on the new life

Came for Bladee, Stayed for this professor

FYI we like when you talk about old music AAVA

Wait is Weezer (Blue album) Proustian 🤔 AVAA

AVAA loving the video

we need yeezus video before death grips

AVAA This is your best video so far

Blind on Blonde great name.

AVAA I think the question of who Syd is at around 23 mins is reffering to Syd from the internet, who were part of odd future/ an affiliate. I feel like the spectre of that group and those memories also haunts this album eg "tyler (the creator) slept on my sofa, yeah we go back that far.": on futura free.

Me see frank ocean in title and from prof sky. Me hit like instantly

Few things make reading as enjoyable as reading a well engaged used book. Marginalia unlocks new ways of appreciating books

Really enjoyed this! AVAA!

AVAA yay amazing , thank you

this is not a drill he did the blond(e) video omg. have u heard the new mavi professor avaa keep up the great vids!

This video is my whole personality, fr

AVAA. was wondering if you'd ever cover Frank!

23:18 that look

Syd is one of the original members of Odd Future as well as a member of the band “The Internet”. Personally think her music is a bit bland but she’s referenced frequently by Frank, Earl, and Tyler the Creator

Speaking of death grips, please start with exmilitary instead of the money store 🙏 AVAA

I can recommend Keshi to everyone if you like frank ocean.

AAVA!! You’d be happy to know that Frank Ocean has a French last name. His legal name is Christoper Breaux.

bro this channel is lowkey a holy grail. please keep uploading 🙏 & congrats on the kid

AVAA. Have you read the Norwegian author Knausgaard? His “My struggle “ series has earned him the title of “the modern day Proust” think you would like him, specifically the way he writes his memory.

your best video yet . AVAA

Professor skye firing on all cylinders avaa

My guy spitting!!!! That last Proust quote hit me a little too hard, should really read some of his work. Thanks for the thoughts prof you nailed this one. AVAA ❤

AVAA The record cover says “blond.” but on streaming platforms, it's “Blonde.”

Frank is very into french culture in general from what I've seen so I don't think its a super far fetched idea that he'd know about Proust. AAVA!

AVAA professor, thanks for always deepening the love I already felt for these albums

aava, so do i just start reading in search of lost time lmao is there like a way i can ease in to proust’s writing like a collection of short stories or something

you should care who Syd is

My favourite professor making parallels between my favourite writer and one of my favourite albums?! So hypedddd :)

AVAA I’m in it

Franc L'Océan AVAA

AVAA: the wife should’ve let you film this video in a wife Ferrari. To answer the Brad Pitt confusion, Brad was going through a divorce from Angelina Jolie around the same time as Frank Oceans live shows of the album. I guess there’s more to the story that someone written about but thats as far as i know.

AVAA prof. made me cry a bit there and i havent even finished swann's way nor do I listen to blonde that much. Great thesis!

AVAA Skye would love if you looked at my album when it releases soon!

Oh no bakugon…