Terry Blade – Black Hurts (2020)
The protests that have taken place this year against racial injustice have inspired a lot of people. Terry Blade is one of them and he turned this inspiration into the poignant and heartfelt single ‘Black Hurts’. While rooted in social protest, the single addresses his own experiences as a person of colour living in the US. Filled with emotional weariness and wounds, the single resonates with listeners whether they share the same experiences or not.
This raw and emotional track continues the genre-defying sound Blade has become known for. Melding modern folk with neo-soul and RnB, he adds a twist of millennial spirit for a relatable sound. As an openly gay black singer, he brings his unique perspective of modern injustice to the fore and fills you with his experiences.
‘Black Hurts’ draws you in with this wonderfully soulful opening melody that rolls into shuffling beats. There is a sadness in the melody that threads its way to your heart and squeezes. This sadness is woven into a fusion sound that offers you the best of neo-soul and RnB with a dash of modern folk resting in the lower levels. The groovy twangs in the background add a depth to the melody while the middle layers allow Blade’s vocals to really shine.
As you are drawn in by the melody, Blade’s vocals take you on an emotional journey. His performance has a weariness woven into his soulful delivery. There is something poignant about his performance that really sticks with you whether you have experienced what he has or not. The relatability of the lyrics makes the moral injustices resting in them hit harder.
Terry Blade uses a modern soulful soundscape to share his emotional weariness in the heartfelt ‘Black Hurts’. The melody brings a thread of sadness that melds with the weariness and hurt in his vocals. Together they create a single that cuts to your heart and resonate with you in a way few songs do.
Find out more about Terry Blade on his website, Twitter and Spotify.
