Frank Ocean Binging On Beatles, Beach Boys For Next Album

Frank Ocean is already at work on the follow up to his critically acclaimed studio debut Channel Orange, and while he naturally won't share any specific details about the project, he reveals that he's taking a bit of inspiration from some very classic bands.

When MTV News caught up with Ocean on the red carpet of the Time 100 Gala, he explained the vibes he was working with during this creative period.

"When I was making the first [album] there were a group of artists that I listened to, just for inspiration and to absorb the energies," he said. "It was a lot of Stevie Wonder, and this time it's a lot of Beach Boys and Beatles and whatnot, so we'll see how it trickles into the music and the final product. I can't say much other than that."

In February the Odd Future crooner hit the Grammys stage, performing his Channel Orange cut "Forrest Gump" with a full visual presentation, using a giant video screening with flashing imagery. His manager Christian Clancy told that the 25-year-old simply followed his intuition when planning the performance, just as he does while recording.

"This is a guy who has the ability to change things, and for him to change things, he has to follow his intuition," Clancy said. "If he doesn't follow his intuition, then it's not real. The goal is to trust the guy who wrote the music to present his art, his way — Frank has incredible intuition. Just f---ing incredible. He very clearly sees things; my job is to say, no matter how far out it may be, I'm going to trust that."

That intuition has certainly paid off as Ocean was recently named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World, along with Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Miguel.