“Not for nothing, I do say [if] you take your eyes off me for two seconds, you miss a lot,” quipped jaunty crooner Durand Bernarr. He didn’t become this multifaceted artist and walking meme by happenstance or whimsy.
The newly-minted Grammy winner (born Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr.) — whom many liken to be a hybrid of Jenifer Lewis and the late Little Richard— has over 20 years of skin in the game, worked with your favorite singer’s favorite singer (Earth, Wind & Fire, Erykah Badu, to name a few), and ended up here by honoring himself in every form, under-promising, over-delivering, and never boxing himself in.
He gained notoriety in 2007 for showcasing his personality and vocal range after posting covers on YouTube. He made his debut in 2009 with his mixtape, Alcoholharmony: The Mixt@pe. His second EP, 8ight: The Stepson of Erykah Badu, caught the singer’s attention, and Bernarr became one of her background vocalists in 2011.
He gained momentum with his hit singles, “STUCK.” featuring Ari Lennox from 2020’s DUR&, “Mango Butter” from 2022’s Wanderlust, 2022 Soul Cypher at the Soul Train Awards, 2023 Tiny Desk, viral appearances on The Terrell Show, and most recently, his instantly meme-able reaction to winning a Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album this past February.
