Dev Hynes has released a new track, Sandra’s Smile, along with a black and white video shot last week in New York that features Hynes, Junglepussy, Ian Isiah and NYC subway dancers Waffle Crew dancing on street corners and around the city.
The title of the track is in reference to Sandra Bland, a black woman who smiles broadly in all the pictures of her on the internet apart from one: a mugshot taken after she was arrested for a minor traffic infraction, in prison, where she was later found dead in her cell.
Later in the track, Hynes also refers to an interview answer from Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, the black teenager shot in the chest by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman while walking home from the shops. In an interview after Zimmerman was found not guilty of either murder or manslaughter, Fulton said, “I will never forget, and I have not forgiven” — the Blood Orange lyrics ask, “I mean, why should she forgive? D’we lose you if, we don’t?”. Hynes has shared the video across his social media accounts, signing off, “Take care of yourselves in this world”.
Hynes has also announced a show at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC on 12 December, with proceeds going to the Opus 118 Harlem School of Music. “Playing music saved my life; if it wasn’t for the chance to play cello or piano when I was a kid growing up in Essex, I shudder to think where I’d be right now,” he explained, adding that, “At this point in my life, all that matters to me is giving back to communities and making people happy, so I have decided to put on a fun night of performances at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem that is hopefully affordable to all, with all proceeds going to the Opus 118 Harlem School of Music. New York City, let’s have some fun!”.