James Blake Talks Frank Ocean, Kanye, and Beyoncé

As promised, James Blake’s new album The Colour in Anything is out now, just a few hours after its release was announced. In addition to a track with Bon Iver, the follow-up to 2013′s Overgrown features another notable collaborator: Frank Ocean, who is credited as a co-writer on the album. It turns out Blake also has been working on Ocean’s new album, the follow-up to 2012′s Channel Orange. In a new Pitchfork feature, “James Blake and the Pursuit of Happiness,” Blake spoke with Devon Maloney about working with Ocean and how it inspired his own new music.

“Frank was a huge inspiration for this record: his process, the way he writes, the strength of what he does, who he is,” Blake told Pitchfork. “We became very good friends.” 

In the same feature, Blake also chatted with Pitchfork about working with Beyoncé on her new album Lemonade. He revealed that Blue Ivy was a big fan of his contributions: “She was singing along to the song, which was a huge compliment, because kids just don’t have any pretense whatsoever.”

Blake also discussed one collaboration that didn’t happen. Last year, Blake said Kanye West would appear on the album. “I don’t really know how to describe how that didn’t work out,” he told Pitchfork. “I wanted Kanye to be on the song ‘Timeless,’ but the verse didn’t materialize. I think a huge swath of things happened in his life, and I just stayed out of it. Eventually, the mood of the album changed, and in the end I don’t think it would have fit. But I didn’t say I was working with Kanye just so people would get interested—I really wanted him to be on it.”

Read “James Blake’s Five Best Collaborations (So Far)” on the Pitch.

Watch James Blake perform at Pitchfork Music Festival Paris 2014:

 

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