Dev Hynes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dev Hynes
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Hynes performing as Blood Orange at Way Out West in Gothenburg, Sweden, August 2014
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| Birth name | David Joseph Michael Hynes |
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| Born | 23 December 1985 London, England |
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| Years active | 2004–present |
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Devonté Hynes (born David Joseph Michael Hynes on December 23, 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, producer, and director. He is famous for his musical projects Blood Orange and Lightspeed Champion. Hynes is known for his unique sound that mixes different styles of music. He now lives in New York City.
From 2004 to 2006, Hynes was in a band called Test Icicles. He played guitar, synthesizer (an electronic keyboard), and sometimes sang. After the band broke up, he started his solo career. He has released several successful albums as both Lightspeed Champion and Blood Orange.
Hynes is also a talented songwriter and producer for other musicians. He has worked with huge stars like Mariah Carey, Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen, A$AP Rocky, and Florence and the Machine.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Dev Hynes was born in Ilford, a town in East London. His mother is from Guyana and his father is from Sierra Leone. He went to the Chadwell Heath Foundation School.
In 2004, he joined the dance-punk band Test Icicles. The band released one album, For Screening Purposes Only, in 2005 before they split up. In 2007, Hynes moved to New York, where he still lives today.
Solo Music Projects
After Test Icicles, Hynes started creating music on his own under two different names. Each project has a very different sound.
Lightspeed Champion
In 2007, Hynes started his first solo project, Lightspeed Champion. The name came from comic strips he drew in his math books as a teenager. His first album, Falling Off the Lavender Bridge, came out in 2008. The music was a type of indie rock.
During his tours, many of his famous musician friends joined him on stage. These included Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine and Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys.
After a lot of touring, Hynes had to have surgery on his throat. He took a break from performing for over two years. In 2010, he released his second Lightspeed Champion album, Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You. After this, he decided to focus on his next project, Blood Orange.
Blood Orange
Hynes wanted to create music with more R&B and electronic sounds. This new project was called Blood Orange. He started performing as Blood Orange in late 2009.
His first album as Blood Orange, Coastal Grooves, was released in 2011. Two years later, he released his second album, Cupid Deluxe. This album featured many guest artists, including Skepta and Caroline Polachek. It became very popular and helped make Blood Orange a famous name in music.
Major Success and Recent Music
In 2016, Hynes released his third Blood Orange album, Freetown Sound. The album was named after the capital city of Sierra Leone, where his father was from. It received great reviews from critics.
His fourth album, Negro Swan, came out in 2018. It explored themes of identity and was also highly praised. In 2019, he released a mixtape called Angel's Pulse.
In 2022, Hynes performed at Madison Square Garden with Harry Styles during his "Love On Tour." That same year, he signed a record deal with RCA Records.
His fifth studio album, Essex Honey, was announced in July 2025. It features collaborations with artists like Lorde and Daniel Caesar.
Working With Other Artists
Besides his own music, Dev Hynes is a very sought-after writer and producer. He helps other artists create their songs and albums.
He has worked with some of the biggest names in pop music. He co-wrote the song "Everything Is Embarrassing" for Sky Ferreira and "All That" with Carly Rae Jepsen. He also worked with Solange Knowles on her EP True.
His work has appeared on albums by The Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx, and Blondie. He has also collaborated with rappers like A$AP Rocky and Mac Miller. This shows how versatile he is as a musician, able to work in many different genres.
Music for Movies and More
Hynes is also a talented composer who writes music for films and classical performances. This type of music is called a score.
- Film Scores: He wrote the music for the 2013 movie Palo Alto and the 2019 film Queen & Slim.
- Classical Music: He has worked with the famous composer Philip Glass. They have performed together at special concerts.
- Awards: In 2019, he released an album called Fields with a group called Third Coast Percussion. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award.
In 2024, Hynes composed the music for a Broadway play called Job.
Discography
As Blood Orange
- Studio albums
- Coastal Grooves (2011)
- Cupid Deluxe (2013)
- Freetown Sound (2016)
- Negro Swan (2018)
- Essex Honey (2025)
- Mixtapes & EPs
- Angel's Pulse (2019)
- Four Songs (2022)
As Lightspeed Champion
- Falling Off the Lavender Bridge (2008)
- Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You (2010)
As Devonté Hynes
- Soundtracks
- Palo Alto (2013)
- Fields (2019) (with Third Coast Percussion)
- Queen & Slim (2019)
- We Are Who We Are (2020)
- Passing (2021)
See also
In Spanish: Dev Hynes para niños
