A soulful singer-songwriter who built his reputation with live performances in Nashville, Devon Gilfillian released his debut full-length album Black Hole Rainbow in January. The album comes after signing a deal with Capitol Records following the success of his self-released EP in 2016, and a theme of triumph over obstacles is present throughout.
Although much of the music was written before the tumultuous turns of 2020, his message has become even more resonant since the album’s release. “It’s weird,” he says, “actually it’s crazy,’cause I feel like the songs are even more relevant today than when I wrote them.”
“The Good Life”, for example, was written in 2018 about President Trump’s plans to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, and it dreams of a diverse and beautiful world.
“To me, it means not being colorblind,” says Gilfillian. “But really seeing people for where they came from and their history and their struggles that they’ve gone through.”
Through elegant storytelling, Black Hole Rainbow serves as a message of inspiration and self-improvement to each listener.
“I wrote ‘Get Out and Get It’ because I was feeling lethargic,” says Gilfillian. “I wanted something to pick me up and put the fire under my behind.”
In the same vein, album opener “Unchained,” is about his brother, who was paralyzed in a car accident, but doesn’t allow it to prevent him from living his fullest life: “Unchained and my heart is free / I’m still the man I was born to be.”
Listen to the full conversation and hear Devon Gilfillian perform live from home in Nashville, TN in this Home Studio Session.
-Logan Roddy
