Frank Ocean’s Music Returns Through Vitamin String Quartet Ahead of New Album

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Vitamin String Quartet has unveiled its latest project set to release on April 25, featuring instrumental versions of Frank Ocean‘s songs. This follow-up album, titled VSQ Performs Frank Ocean, marks a significant homage to the celebrated artist, whose influence remains strong even after nearly a decade of silence regarding new music.

The quartet’s first single from the album, an orchestral arrangement of Ocean’s track “Lost,” captures the poignant essence of the song, which explores themes of drug trafficking and entanglement in a perilous world. The group has a history of transforming popular music into classical renditions, and this latest offering continues that tradition.

Tom Lea, violist for the ensemble, expressed the group’s admiration for Ocean. “Frank Ocean’s music has had a profound impact on so many lives, and it feels like the perfect moment to release this song,” Lea shared. The album will include reimagined versions of hits from Ocean’s albums Blonde and Channel Orange, such as “Pink + White” and “Thinkin Bout You,” among others. The quartet previously released a cover of “Pink + White” two weeks ago.

In addition to the album announcement, Ocean remains a cultural touchstone, holding a spot on the Billboard album charts for an impressive 428 weeks with Blonde and 224 weeks with Channel Orange. Despite his artistic hiatus, his presence in pop culture endures, as evidenced by recent remarks made by Kanye West during a Twitch interview, where he recounted Ocean’s attempt to dissuade him from supporting Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

Since its inception in 1999, the Vitamin String Quartet has released numerous classical covers of songs by various artists including Adele, Taylor Swift, and BTS. Their arrangements have gained popularity through mainstream channels, and they continue to attract new audiences. The group is set to embark on a U.S. and Canada tour beginning May 14, although it remains to be seen how prominently Ocean’s music will be featured in their setlists.