“Blood Orange is my emotional outlet. Making music that takes me to a different place is my only form of expression. That is how I can naturally excavate and process anything.”
-Dev Hynes, episode 308 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
Today, we sit with musician Dev Hynes (Blood Orange)! We start by discussing his new EP (3:15), performing at Madison Square Garden with Harry Styles this fall (4:40), and the process that guides much of his music (6:39). Then, Dev describes growing up in Essex, England (7:04), falling in love with music at his sister’s piano lessons (11:00), his dreams of entering the New York punk culture of Please Kill Me (20:30), early performances with the band Test Icicles (22:08), and how he’s been inspired by the late Octavia Saint Laurent (30:10).
In the back half, we unpack Dev’s gift for collaboration (34:22), the 2013 night that changed everything (38:50), a surreal, full-circle performance of Delancey at the Apollo Theater (46:17), music’s unique ability to express emotions (49:50), and where he hopes to go in his art next (54:20).
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Show-notes:
- Listen to Dev’s new EP Four Songs.
- Hear more of his previous work on his website.
- Follow him on Instagram.
- For more conversations, hear our talks with David Byrne, Alana Haim, Syd, Run The Jewels, Brittany Howard, Lorde, Vince Staples, Sleater-Kinney, and Questlove.
- Order your Talk Easy mug in cream and navy or our vinyl record with Fran Lebowitz.
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Original illustration by Krishna Shenoi. Reference image by Ciesay.
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