Dear SZA & Frank Ocean… the new music is necessary

Like clockwork, I feel the tears filling my eyes and instinctively click my Spotify before any have the time to fall down my cheek. In this tumultuous, torturous and tiresome year, we have all become far too familiar with those human yet humiliating feelings of much needed sob fests. Let’s face it, most of us are simps in our own ways, and it is the sacredness of these sob sessions that make us feel like the simping is all worth something. So, I write today to ask why the artists that we listen to in these sentimental moments refuse to release more music to heal us? 

You see, it’s been 3 years and 5 months since SZA released CTRL (2017) and 4 years and 3 months since Frank Ocean released Blonde (2016). I’m certain they know that the tears that have flowed while listening to every note of both of those album’s could essentially save the global water crisis. The amount of times that we have all ugly-cry-sung every lyric and background vocal to “Solo” or “Supermodel” should be illegal. So, again I ask, WHERE IS THE NEW MUSIC WHEN WE NEED IT?

Don’t get me wrong, I will blast both of these otherworldly pieces of art until the day that I die, and I thank the music gods for gifting us these saving graces. This all said, as much as it is hard to believe sometimes, Ms. Solana and Mr. Ocean have to be humans too. They must feel how hard this year has been and they need to know that we need more music to heal us and hold us. To put it simply, could you imagine a world where 2020 included 8-10 original songs by either of them seamlessly strung together in an all new album? The possibility of how different things could have been is incomprehensible.

Maybe I’m being dramatic, but if you are a person with access to modern music and a sensitive soul in the slightest, you know how much we need some new SZA and Frank Ocean. I promise I will be patient, but I’m not sure how much longer I can take. I mean, I won’t be 20 something forever and I’m simply losing my self control.

Written by Paulette Ely

Images via @sza & @blonded