To the world, an overnight sensation seems sudden and unexpected, but for Durand Bernarr, it’s the result of years worth of work.
Born in Cleveland and raised in the Glenville neighborhood – which is also home to local legends Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – you might say music chose Bernarr before he had a chance to think for himself. He grew up in a musically-inclined household. His mother worked as a music teacher at schools across Cleveland and was the music director at various churches and his father was an audio engineer who has worked with some of the most reputable artists in the industry, such as Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Rihanna and Jill Scott.
His love for music grew in the church, which played an important role in his artistic development. As a child, he was involved in theater, appearing in productions of Holes, Black Nativity and God’s Trombone at Karamu House Theatre. He also took movement classes at Cleveland Institute of Music and acting classes at Playhouse Square.
Bernarr’s music career began at the young age of 16 when he went on tour with legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire, for which his father was a production assistant. Bernarr began creating YouTube videos of himself doing covers, dancing and commentary, and he began releasing music around that time, too. In 2010, he released his second EP titled 8ight: The Stepson of Erykah Badu, a compilation of Erykah Badu covers. A year later, Badu reached out to Bernarr and invited him to go on tour with her band, Nedda Stella, as a background vocalist.
Since then, Bernarr has frequently sung as a background vocalist for Badu and has been a featured vocalist with many notable artists including Kaytranada, Ari Lennox, Teedra Moses, Thundercat, The Internet and more. Amidst his 2023 Wanderlust Tour, Bernarr performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk, which went viral with more than 2 million views. On Jan. 28, the singer-songwriter released his single “Impact,” which will be on his third studio album in February. The name of the album has not been released, but the themes of the album will center on growth, friendship, community, self love and love that goes beyond romance.
In a time where numbers, aesthetics and catchy 15-second clips seem to be changing the state of music, Bernarr is a breath of fresh air. His talents go beyond music.
Cleveland Magazine spoke with Bernarr about his journey from Cleveland to the Grammys.
Cleveland Magazine: How did growing up in the church play a role in your love for music?
Durand Bernarr: It played a role. Not necessarily in my love for music. It’s a little bit deeper than that. We [learned] etiquette, knowing what [type] your voice is, knowing how to sing within an ensemble or a group of people, listening. You know, different nuances and things like that. And then when you’re having a moment with your friends in your own creative way, knowing how to lead that. Then, there’s theater, there’s drama class, there’s martial arts, poetry readings. There’s so many things that [take] part in all of this.
CM: What was it like being queer in that space?
DB: I had a few different church experiences. One [felt like] I was present, but I wasn’t aware of it when I was a kid. And then I felt like at one point, I wanted to have my own relationship with God. So my aunt brought me to her church. And that's when I fell in love with gospel. That was the beginning of the struggle because now I’m kind of teaching this to myself and writing a program of my own. It was interesting trying to love yourself while constantly being in environments that suggest that something is wrong or you need to fix who you are.
CM: Your Tiny Desk performance went viral in 2023. You were decked out in the Proud Family costume, paying homage to Bobby Proud. What was it like to perform in a small intimate space like that versus for a bigger audience?
DB: I started out [performing] in small venues, living rooms, backyards, all those kinds of things. But [Tiny Desk is] enormous to me. And what made it work well was that I was on tour. And so, that was really just a condensed 17 minutes of my 90-minute show. So we were already locked in. It would’ve been absolutely unlike me to be demure and mindful on [Tiny Desk]. This is the first time [some people] were going to see me. I am about to cut up! I say all that to say that was an opportunity that I am so grateful for.
CM: Your Tiny Desk performance really took off. It has more than 2 million views. What impact has that had on your career?
DB: Gabrielle Union knows who I am. Queen Latifah follows me. I’ve also realized just because someone doesn’t follow you, doesn’t mean they don’t know who you are. It is very gratifying to be acknowledged for the dedication to your craft and the seriousness that you take in your music and how you want it to make other people feel. The way I construct [my music], I want to make music you can’t escape. I want it to be deeply felt. Like when you hear "Sweetest Taboo" by Sade, you feel it instantly. When you hear Goapele’s "Closer," [it’s] instant. I just want [my music] to feel past my ability to live.
CM: You’re now a Grammy nominated artist. Your EP En Route is up for Best Progressive R&B Album. You were shocked by the news. How did you find out that you’re a Grammy-nominated artist?
DB: I found out from a stranger on Twitter congratulating me. I was like, Oh Kaytranada got nominated? because that’s what happened last time. The girls thought that I was gonna be getting a Grammy because I was a featured artist on a Grammy Award-winning album. And I got a participation certificate. OK, that’s what I got. I was like, Oh, my third participation certificate. And they said “No, you!” And at that moment, I had just got in my seat on my flight heading to Houston. I couldn’t swear and scream because I was gonna end up on the no fly list.
CM: Looking back at your career, how do you think your sound has evolved?
DB: It’s been all over the place. I’ve really been on a search for my sound. And I think there’s been some consistency within there, like a little bit of comedy. You know, things like that. That’s always been in [my sound]. The “far left” subject matter, that’s always been there. The main thing that has grown and evolved is trying to simplify these melodies while also keeping them interesting.
CM: What do you want this new album to say about you? What will people learn about you from listening to this album?
DB: You’ll be getting a very sentimental side of Durand. You’re still gonna laugh, of course. You’re going to be getting warmth. You’re going to be getting compassion. You’re going to see a little bit of my anxiety – with me being in my own mind. It’s all those things. I’m admitting how clumsy I am. There’s a difference between gracious and graceful. And [you’ll see me] being frustrated because at one point, I was putting in a lot of work into being the best version of myself. And you get out into the real world, and they’re talkin’ about You’re overqualified. So it’s a lot of stuff that I feel just as a person who’s experiencing life, living life will be able to find more than five songs where it’s just like Please say that!
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