Blood Orange is stepping in and honoring the memory of Sandra Bland with his new song and video called “Sandra’s Smile.” Dev Hynes, the man behind the moniker, is no stranger to strong messages in his music. Earlier this year he gave us the personal statement piece “Do You See My Skin Through the Flames,” but now he is taking an even bigger stand by directly singing in tribute to Bland, who was mysteriously found dead while in custody of Texas police officers this past July.
While the both the audio and visual presentation of “Sandra’s Smile” are at times eerily upbeat and almost jovial, Hynes is singing words of passion and pain. He is seen in the video bopping, popping and locking through New York City streets with friends like Waffle Crew, Junglepussy and Ian Isiah, all while sharing how he really feels about the current state of racial affairs. He begs the question, “Who taught you to breathe / Then took away your speech?” Along with mention of Bland, Hynes goes on to honor Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, as well.
Download a copy of Blood Orange's powerful new single "Sandra's Smile," and if you're in New York City be sure to grab tickets to his benefit show on December 12th at Apollo Theater.
