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Devonté Hynes is from Houston but was raised in the UK.  He has been bouncing back and forth between Los Angeles and New York City for the past three years. Devonté has produced a lot of music. Some for himself: Test Icicles, Lightspeed Champion and some for others: Basement Jaxx, Florence+The Machine, Theophilus London, Solange Knowles, Cassie, Diana Vickers. Somewhere in between all of this, Blood Orange was created.

Blood Orange will also be getting a big break this year, going on tour as opening support for Florence+The Machine, and also playing SXSW. He sounds like Toro Y Moi meets Prince meets TV On The Radio meets Beck. According to the Guardian, Hynes had been working with Solange Knowles, a singer who is also the sister of Beyoncé, on her 3rd record, randomly meeting her by chance in a LA studio. Later he was invited to Jay-Z’s office for a meeting, with Solange and Beyonce coming along.

Hynes was originally part of Florence’s band and co-wrote an early B-side for the group. Recorded in Nebraska by Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis, the album was a critical success but was widely ignored by the public. A second album, the patchy Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You followed in 2010. By this point Hynes had already started to focus on writing and producing for other people, working with X Factor contestant Diana Vickers in 2009, as well as rapper Theophilus London and Solange (the latter is currently holed up with Hynes writing songs for R&B singer Cassie’s much-delayed second album).  For the time being, Lightspeed Champion is in semi-permanent retirement, though a third album has already been demoed.

You can see his latest music video here, directed by Alan Del Rio Ortiz, and shot on VHS. Tour dates are also listed below.

Tour Dates (with Florence and the Machine):

14 APR – USA SANTA BARBARA SANTA BARBARA BOWL

17 APR – USA RENO GRAND SIERRA RESORT

18 APR – USA DAVIS, CA MONDAVI CENTRE

20 APR – USA PHOENIX, AZ COMERICA THEATRE

21 APR – USA LAS VEGAS, NV THE COSMOPOLITAN

27 APR – USA MINNEAPOLIS, MN HENNEPIN THEATHER

28 APR – USA MILWAULKEE, WI EAGLES BALLROOM

29 APR – USA ST LOUIS, MO PEABODY OPERA HOUSE

1 MAY – USA DALLAS, TX PALLADIUM BALLROOM

2 MAY – USA HOUSTON, TX VERIZON WIRELESS THEATER

8 MAY – USA NEW YORK, NY RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

11 MAY – USA UNCASVILLE, CT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

12 MAY – USA ATLANTIC CITY, NJ BORGATA EVENT CENTER

12 MAY – USA ATLANTIC CITY, NJ BORGATA EVENT CENTER

17 MAY – AUSTRALIA PERTH BURSWOOD DOME

20 MAY – AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE ROD LAVER ARENA

22 MAY – AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

24 MAY – AUSTRALIA SYDNEY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

26 MAY – AUSTRALIA BRISBANE RIVERSTAGE

28 MAY – NEW ZEALAND AUCKLAND VECTOR ARENA