Frank Ocean sows the seeds of a musical comeback

Since Blonde in 2016, Frank Ocean has been a long time coming. And now, without any fuss, he seems to be preparing his comeback. Or, at least, to give us a taste of it.

A never-before-seen serenade slipped into a YouTube video rekindles all speculation

On March 14, 2025, a YouTube video by UFC champion and low-key influencer Payton Talbott triggered an unexpected tidal wave among Frank Ocean’s fan zones. At precisely 11 minutes 34, a short musical extract appears. A delicate acoustic ballad, carried by an instantly recognizable voice, whispers: “I want to drink your words like wine”. Just a few seconds before the editing interferes with the melody, rendering it almost ghostly.

The effect is immediate: forums, networks and fan circles go wild. Is Frank Ocean back at last? Or is it just another decoy, carefully orchestrated by this elusive artist?

Frank Ocean’s strategy of assumed absence

Since the release of Blonde, the artist has preferred retreat to overexposure. Apart from a few tracks released in 2020(Dear April, Cayendo) and his contribution to the soundtrack of the film Waves(2019), Frank Ocean has stayed away from traditional formats. He prefers to cultivate expectation – sometimes to the point of frustration.

But this withdrawal is also an artistic move. For Frank Ocean never returns where he is expected. In 2021, he launched Homer, his independent luxury brand. In parallel, he is currently working on a feature film called Philly, produced by A24 and 2AM, starring actor David Jonsson.

What if the music came back as a surprise?

The extract posted by Talbott acts as a thrill: minimalist, romantic, fragile. Everything that makes up the artist’s DNA. An unintentional teaser or a carefully calculated gesture? Impossible to say.

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