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Dev Hynes has always been an artist who yearns to have a message with his music. His latest with his group Blood Orange, Freetown Sound, was a powerful statement about identity, justice, freedom and so much more. Though he is originally from abroad, he knows all too well what the American experience can be like, specifically the injustices it can bring. As a victim of police violence himself, Hynes is fully aware of how wrong things can go in our system. Much of Freetown is dedicated to these complex and harsh issues.
With that in mind, Blood Orange took the stage on Conan with a powerful performance of his tracks “Augustine” and “Thank You.” In a simple and understated performance, he sits at a piano while photos of Philando Castile, Terrence McCrary, Jr. and Hande Kader are placed over a bed of flowers. All of these people were killed in shootings; Castile shot in Minnesota by police, McCrary killed in Oakland, and activist Kader murdered in Turkey. Before his performance, Dev sent out a tweet letting people know of his intentions and to whom he was dedicating his performance.
https://twitter.com/devhynes/status/768209461978595328
In a year that has already been fraught with senseless violence, hopefully performances like this can bring people some kind of peace.
