With the Red Hot Chili Peppers, bassist Flea has played for millions of fans around the world. As such, he’s one of the most seasoned musicians in the world, but now he’s starting a new chapter in his career with a series of firsts.
He recently appeared on The Tonight Show as a solo artist for the first time in order to promote his upcoming debut solo album, “Honora,” which will be released on March 27th, 2026 through Nonesuch Records. The album is a departure from the funk-rock sound of the Chili Peppers, instead showcasing his jazz and improvisational roots.
His late-night performance showcased the album’s direction with a cover of “Thinkin Bout You” from Frank Ocean‘s debut studio album, “Channel Orange.” Flea explained the process behind adding it to “Honora.”
“Channel Orange! When that record came out, it really blew me away,” he explains to Nonesuch Records. “I listened to it ten million times. It was something I just couldn’t stop listening to. I loved it so much and still do. Just one of those real watershed moment records for me. ‘Thinkin Bout You’ is one of the many great songs on that record, and I thought it would be fun to play on trumpet. Then I went to Nate Wolcott, who plays keyboards on ‘Honora’ on several tunes. He did that string arrangement for me. He stepped up to the plate and really did something beautiful. I just wanted to get the honest beauty of the melody because it’s a great song.”
Flea’s live performance was filled out by a string section and an all-star band featuring Jeff Parker (Tortoise), Deantoni Parks (André 3000), Josh Johnson, and Anna Butterss.
Similar to Ocean’s original take, the song begins with mellow strings to set a contemplative mood. Flea is known for driving the groove from the bass, but in this case, the bottom end is handled by Butterss on the double bass. Instead, he handles the melody on the electric bass, reaching for the higher register to emulate the sound of Ocean’s dulcet R&B vocals. Flea then picks up his first instrument, the trumpet, to play the refrain. This move is what makes the arrangement so special.
Ocean’s version of “Thinkin Bout You” is built upon a contrast between a restrained lower-register voice verse and a soaring falsetto on the chorus. Flea similarly switches registers by changing instruments, bringing more attention to the chorus with a brassy, breathy trumpet tone. By doing so, he captures the same emotional arc in a new instrumental shape – one that imbues his own personality into it.
And that’s precisely the point. Flea’s new solo project is a bold statement that reframes the narrative around his musical identity. Yes, he has sold millions of albums with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but he’s more than a rock star. In the end, Flea’s “Thinkin Bout You” works because it doesn’t try to outshine Frank Ocean’s original: it finds a new way to the song’s emotional core using his own talents. That’s something we can all aspire to.
