Music has long been a tool for communication and expression. It has taken different molds and forms, each speaking to the generation of its time. The power in a lyric can move someone to dance, cry, even push them in a certain direction in life. Music has always been a form of expression for myself. Different stages in my life means different genres, different artists. However,they all seem to tie in the end. A song that speaks to me is “Seigfried” by Frank Ocean.

Choosing just one song proved to be difficult, but this one stood out tremendously when I first listened. “I couldn’t gauge your fears/I can’t relate to my peers/I’d rather live outside/I’d rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here/Maybe I’m a fool/Maybe I should move” Living in the current age of technology and social media, it often feels as though we are meant to relate and adhere to everything we see in front of us. As children, we are often told that our goal is a soulmate, that we must find our person and learn who they are, what they like. But it isn’t always that simple. Not everyone can easily connect. When  Frank Ocean said “ I can’t relate to my peers” it’s often like when we are forced into this box, this method of getting to know each other. Finding your person isn’t as easy as the movies make it to be.

Settling down for anyone at any age is terrifying . Some picture having that fairytale before reaching a certain age. Others don’t think of it all. In this song, Frank Ocean reveals his fear of settling down. Although in love and wanting this person, he cant picture himself settling at such a young age. It is the dimmela of being with that person you crave and love, but also leaving the life you knew before this person.Frank ocean uses imagery, we can put ourselves in his shoes. “Been living in an idea/An idea from another man’s mind/Maybe I’m a fool/To settle for a place with some nice views/Maybe I should move/Settle down, two kids and a swimming pool/I’m not brave” It’s almost as if he is forced to live the life others say he should enjoy. The picket fence, the big house with a pool in the backyard. He knows it is safe, a comfort. Yet this does not make him feel at peace, it makes him anxious. “This is not my life/It’s just a fond farewell to a friend” Frank Ocean makes his love clear, his love is undeniable. He simply is not ready for the move of being with this person forever.

In this generation, we often think being with more than one person makes us a “hoe”. We often say that when we date, it’s for something long and lasting. But this just isn’t for everyone. Many want  to experience new people, new ideas and new minds. They want to make sure that the person they settle for is the one for them. Frank Ocean beautifully divulges in what it is to be a young adult, and what it is to be in love.

Frank Ocean-Seigfried 

Release Date-August 20, 2016

Album:Blonde