Blood Orange

David Joseph Michael Hynes, known professionally as Blood Orange and formerly Lightspeed Champion, was born on December 23, 1985, in Ilford, East London. He is a British musician who has made contributions to the electronic music genre. Hynes began his musical career as a member of the dance-punk band Test Icicles from 2004 to 2006, during which they released their sole album For Screening Purposes Only. In early 2007, under the name Lightspeed Champion, Hynes recorded his debut album Falling Off the Lavender Bridge, which included the single "Galaxy of the Lost". He later released a second album as Lightspeed Champion titled Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You in 2010. Transitioning to Blood Orange, Hynes focused on R&B and electronica, releasing his debut single "Dinner" in January 2011. His subsequent albums include Cupid Deluxe (2013), Freetown Sound (2016), Negro Swan (2018), Angel's Pulse (2019), and Essex Honey (2025). Notable collaborations include work with artists such as Solange Knowles, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Mariah Carey, Lorde, and Caroline Polachek. Hynes has also contributed to soundtracks and performed at various festivals, including the NME Awards in 2008 and Latitude Festival in 2009.