What is there to say about Frank Ocean other than a single word — iconic. The mysterious musician makes songs that bend genres and purportedly cure heartbreak, but what is this musical muse’s personality like?
Frank Ocean has never publicized the results of any personality tests, which fits with the “BLONDED” creator’s mysterious persona. Still, Frank Ocean’s fans speculate that he is an ISFP personality type.
In general, Frank Ocean has taken a different track to publicity than most celebrities, preferring to keep his distance from the spotlight and let his work speak for itself. Still, there is a lot one can glean from the artist’s persona and his music.
ISFP Personality Type
Although Frank Ocean never publicly said that he is an ISFP, his fans voted on the fan website Personality Database, and the overwhelming result was that he is an ISFP personality type — but what does that even mean?
According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test website 16Personalites, ISFP personality types are known as the “Adventurer” personality type. That means that they have introverted, observant, feeling, and prospecting personality traits.
Adventurer personalities are known to be incredibly artistic, which suits Frank Ocean well. Although they may be creative, they are not artists in the conventional sense, preferring to push boundaries and social norms with their work.
They don’t like to be confined artistically.
Despite their artistic nature, Adventurers tend to be surprisingly introverted when they aren’t in the spotlight, using their timid nature for introspection and drumming up new ideas.
This description fits Frank Ocean, who is known for his media-shy personality and groundbreaking music. Although he is not one to publicize his personality type, the personality type that his fans voted on does seem to fit him incredibly well.
Frank Ocean’s Personality
Still, there is a lot that you can learn about Frank Ocean outside of his personality type.
In a rare interview with W Magazine, Frank Ocean revealed more about his inspirations and what drives him to create such breathtaking music.
Frank Ocean said that what drove him to pursue a musical career was “no attachment to music necessarily, more an attachment to what music could bring if I succeeded, you know, financially. And that meant freedom from my situation at the time, and maybe what I was projecting onto my own future.”
Although what drives him to create music was a desire to get out of his own neighborhood, Frank Ocean clearly has a passion for his craft, creating beautiful songs straight from the heart.
As for his artistic inspirations, Frank Ocean says that he is particularly interested in nightlife culture, saying, “And so the things I look at now have a lot to do with those scenes: Detroit, Chicago, techno, house, French electronic…”
Frank Ocean can spend years working on an album, but the results speak for themselves.
Career and Discography
Frank Ocean’s career trajectory has made one thing clear: he isn’t willing to sacrifice his creativity for financial gain and refuses to be put in a creative box.
Frank Ocean’s career began with him working odd jobs in Los Angeles and landing some spots on albums for musicians such as Justin Bieber and John Legend. However, he wanted to branch out for himself and have creative control over his process and eventually signed to Def Jam records.
However, upon signing to the label, it became clear to Frank Ocean that Def Jam had no intentions of supporting the budding musician in his efforts to create a studio album. He was stuck in a contract.
Instead, Frank Ocean self-produced and funded his debut mixtape “Nostalgia, Ultra,” which garnered him recognition from industry legends like Beyoncé.
This resulted in an incredibly public battle with Def Jam over creative control of Frank Ocean’s upcoming album, “Chanel Orange.”
He eventually released “Chanel Orange” to massive commercial and critical success, then completely vanished from the public eye.
Frank Ocean then released a largely instrumental album, “Endless,” after years of silence from the artist. By releasing the collection of ambient music, he fulfilled his contract with Def Jam records.
Four years after his debut album, Frank Ocean released “Blonde.” “Blonde” debuted under Frank Ocean’s personal label and reached the number one spot on the charts upon its debut.
Frank Ocean was in control.
After years of battling with Def Jam, Frank Ocean was able to create something completely free. This trajectory seems to fit incredibly well with his potential ISFP personality type.