Frank Ocean Explains ‘Channel Orange’ Early Release Decision During BBC Radio 1 Interview

Robbie Daw | July 13, 2012 7:19 am

For Frank Ocean, releasing his debut LP Channel Orange digitally one week early was part of the plan all along. The “Pyramids” singer called in to have a chat with Zane Lowe of BBC Radio 1, and explained the reasoning behind pulling the trigger seven days ahead of the planned release date for the album.

“It was actually the plan all along. I kind of wanted to mirror what Jay and Kanye did with Watch The Throne — preventing the leak by staggering the digital and physical dates,” Ocean said. Hear his UK radio chat below.

And don’t feel too bad if you’re sweating it out until Tuesday, waiting to get your hands on a physical copy of Channel Orange — turns out Frank doesn’t have one yet, either.

“Not to give away too much of the inside, I’m actually still designing the package for vinyl,” Ocean revealed. “The physicals are done, but when we sent them in, they were locked down at the manufacturer. They haven’t left. They never went on trucks, because that’s where things leak… so I haven’t even held one in my hands.”

Frank went on to talk about making the album, and some of his influences and collaborators and his aspirations for his upcoming live shows in support of Channel Orange.

Interestingly, Lowe never broached one of the most water cooler-worthy moments of last week — and this: the coming out letter Ocean posted on Tumblr.

Have you downloaded a copy of Channel Orange yet? Are you waiting to pick up a physical CD? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter.

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