With 11 beautiful, soulful, and intense tracks, Cupid Deluxe (2013) compresses the feeling of giving to someone who can never be pleased—the constant chase for validation, for proof that your love means something to them, that you mean something to them, even when they are incapable of accepting it because they do not know how. It is a vicious cycle of giving and receiving love, over and over again, good enough in the moment, but with no one left feeling satisfied.
It is a vicious cycle with someone you love, and the question becomes clear: why would you not want to give? Why must I stop myself from loving you? There is no shame in loving. There is no shame in caring for someone. And so, I will continue to do so—even if you do not think you are deserving of it, even if we are no longer together, even if I am no longer in love with you.My desire for you to feel loved, to know that you are deserving of it, will prevail. So here I remain, knowing my love was no right thing.
Devonté Hynes , recording as Blood Orange , released his second studio album, Cupid Deluxe, in 2013 at the height of the American pop wave. Though it initially remained on the sidelines, the album has only grown richer with time, like a masterpiece that reveals new depths with each revisit. As we see songs like “Losing You” by Solange and “Everything Is Embarrassing” by Sky Ferreira , both co-written and produced by Blood Orange, resurfacing and taking TikTok by storm, it becomes undeniable that his sound and talent are timeless. Nevertheless, Cupid Deluxe is the epitome of intent and perfect execution. Devonté Hynes wrote and produced this album for the queer and transgender communities of urban cities. Cupid Deluxe is an ode to the pain and hardships of queer love.
The entirety of Cupid Deluxe is performed in Devonté Hynes’ high-register voice, his tone soft and feminine. In the opening track, “Chamakay,” he refers to himself as a girl: “I see you’re waiting for a girl like me to come along. Baby, go your own.” Performed with Caroline Polachek , who is also featured in Charli XCX’s “Everything Is Romantic,” the gender binary becomes blurred—their voices become indistinguishable, encapsulating the beauty of sensuality and eroticism outside the confines of heteronormativity. His intentional use of female pronouns adds nuance to the album and pushes listeners to question traditional gender roles within relationships.
Combined with his distinct production style—a blend of ‘80s hip-hop and jazz with current 2000s pop—and his call to escapism, Hynes creates a beautiful juxtaposition of melancholy lyrics over invigorating beats. This contrast is exemplified in the infamous “Uncle ACE,” now widely recognized for its contribution to the cinematic brilliance of Challengers. The track opens with:
“Not like the other girls. Go home and wait for me.”
Quite literally meaning “not like the other girls”—not a girl. This lyric speaks to relationships with queer women, who are often demonized and hypersexualized. Later in the song, Hynes pleads:
“Does this feel easy ‘cause it’s all you’ll get from me?
Do you have a reason to think I’m just what you need?”
These lines beg for reassurance—that queer and trans women hold value in their lovers’ hearts beyond sexual desire, that they are wanted and sought after for more than just pleasure. “Uncle ACE” directly addresses the oversexualization of queer and trans women of color, whose femininity is both questioned and eroticized to the point where questioning a partner’s intentions becomes a matter of questioning self-worth and respect.
Following this verse, the song closes with ascending drums, building tension—layered synths and seductive percussion create an intoxicating sense of urgency and movement. This contrast between sound and meaning unites the intense desire for lust and pleasure with the longing to be respected and appreciated, solidifying “Uncle ACE” as a masterful composition.
Hynes writes to feelings that are painfully familiar and intersect with every part of queer culture—feelings that, when composed with the same intensity as they are experienced, offer a sense of relief. “On the Line,” my favorite track on the album, does just this.
Coming to Berkeley—moving somewhere so cold and isolating, as opposed to the warmth of Southern California—meant leaving behind my friends and all physical reminders of my past relationship. I felt like I was losing everything I had anchored my identity upon. I yearned for the feeling of belonging, of knowing I had a place. I no longer had the peace of mind that comes with being in a relationship, of knowing I was cared for in that way. I started to think all my friends back home hated me for leaving, that my parents resent me for it. “On the Line” embodies this—the feeling of abandonment and longing at the same time. Leaving home—but does that really mean things will never be the same?
“Tell me if you’re in my life. Don’t go.
Baby, are we on the line? Are we through?”
The lyrics echoed inside of me. The tension I had been holding onto slowly faded—my body feeling the release that came from the song’s opening notes. This track reached every part of me, speaking to my fears of not being enough for those I love, of being forgotten, of being left for someone who is everything I am not. More than anything, hearing the pleading and longing in Hynes’ voice—his deep and high registers overlapping—made the song feel like a conversation, like an argument between two lovers. “On the Line” captures the ache of uncertainty and distance, turning longing into something tangible—something I could hold onto, even when everything else felt like it was slipping away.
Cupid Deluxe tells a story of longing and desire. The limitless talent Blood Orange holds in composing and writing an album that embodies queer love demonstrates not only the influence of the queer and trans community on the music industry but also emphasizes the beauty of queer love itself. Cupid Deluxe is an ode to all queer and transgender communities—an ode to queer love, queer pain, queer joy, queer pussy, queer sex! An ode to queerness!
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