What is a CHAMELEON?
According to a quick Google search, a chameleon is a lizard with a prehensile tail, independently movable eyes, and the ability to change its skin color. However, after listening to Durand Bernarr’s master piece of an album, BLOOM, Google may need to revise the definition. Melding rock and roll, R&B, and dance, this album deserves to stand proudly alongside that vibrant lizard. From the spirited rhythms of “That,” featuring T-Pain, to the sultry serenade of “Home Alone,” Mr. Bernarr unveils a musical palette that transcends the ordinary.
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, and raised as an only child by his mother—a dedicated music teacher and vocal coach—and his father, an audio engineer, he is a scholar of the craft. With powerful, affirming lyrics and stunning vocal runs, this ethereal superstar has journeyed from Planet Funk to gift us earthlings an out-of-this-world sonic experience.
The cultural zeitgeist needs artists who push the envelope, create timeless music, and have star power. We’ve needed a talented superhero to provide the community with fun, humor, excellence, and a voice that can bring your spirit back to life. That person is Durand Bernarr. Like a thief in the night, or a community vigilante like BATMAN, this Cleveland, Ohio native is the hero that the MUSIC industry didn’t know it needed!
Presenting “THE CHAMELEON: the Shapeshifter of Sound”
“TREAT ME RIGHT” – lyric from “Generous” by Durand Bernarr
Last summer, I found myself standing in the crowd at Afropunk, waiting for something I couldn’t quite put into words. And then, Durand Bernarr stepped onto the stage. The moment he did, the energy was undeniable—it wasn’t just the music; it was the way he owned that space, effortlessly pulling us all into his world. His voice? It soared, it melted– it danced along the scales in a way that felt completely raw and real. I had seen his Tiny Desk performance earlier that year, and something about that stripped-down moment made me think, “This is the artist I want to see at MEFEATER Magazine’s Galentine’s Runway show”. He had this rare, magnetic energy that just clicked with me. Not to my surprise, my boss felt the same way and booked him for the show.
Meeting Durand was a different story. Small in stature but with a big personality, he model-strutted backstage with his team all swiftly behind him. It was almost like watching a formation of attitudes. He was kind, effervescent, and professional as he said hello to MEFeater’s Runway Staff and volunteers. I couldn’t believe the person I saw on stage was right in front of me. I frantically said hello and couldn’t wait to see him hit the Galentine’s stage….. and just like that, he DID IT AGAIN!
When my editor asked me to write the Durand Bernarr cover story, I jumped at the opportunity. I had just finished listening to his latest album and was already captivated. I’m so grateful to share this conversation about love, friendship, and all things Bloom.
“YOU WON’T HAVE ME LOOKING CRAZY” – lyric from “PSST!” By Durand Bernarr
Peter VanDunk: You’ve just wrapped up your first New York Fashion Week and successfully closed the MEFEATER Galentine’s Runway show. How are you feeling?
Durand Bernarr: I feel like, “Wait, what just happened?” I can vividly picture that classic scene of Julie Andrews from ‘Sound of Music’ frolicking in a field, looking confused. “But, no, it was quite an experience. That was the longest stage I’ve ever had to walk but I worked it three times, so it was good. It was really good. I have no complaints and I’m looking forward to the next one!
PV: So let’s get into your album! Titled “Bloom,” it resonates as a powerful declaration of growth and transformation. Can you share the moment when you realized you were experiencing this season of blooming, both personally and creatively?
DB: If I had to identify a significant moment, it would be in 2021 with my friend Liv, who was part of my last project, Wanderlust. During a heartfelt exchange, we were truly connecting with each other at that moment. At one point, she expressed to our group, while pointing to her partner, “This is my person, but I’m in love with each and every one of you.” It was the first time I heard a friend articulate such profound love, which made me realize that it’s possible to love friends deeply and that intimacy can exist beyond romantic and sexual relationships. I discovered that friendship can hold its own form of intimacy, especially when we share experiences and grow together. This realization led me to embrace relationships that inspire hope. I began to appreciate the presence of people in my life who genuinely wish me well and make me love myself even more when they are around. It has truly been an incredible experience to have people like that in my life.
PV: That’s beautiful, you always gotta have people in your corner. Your music radiates so much joy and humor and authenticity, but there’s also depth and vulnerability. How do you balance those emotions in your songwriting and storytelling?
DB: I would say finding your recipe for what works for you is something that takes time. I’ve always had humor in how I express myself, so it really fell into place when I started taking music seriously. My thing is, I really like to make people laugh, so when you can incorporate your personality into what it is that you do, it feels like it’s a conversation is being had, that’s why people can connect to it.
PV: Yes! Absolutely. I definitely feel that energy radiating. My first time seeing you was at Afropunk, and you took us to church that weekend! Okay?!
DB: I did [Afro Punk] a couple of times. It was beautiful.
PV: You’ve consistently experimented with genre and expanded the definition of being an R&B artist. During your upbringing, what types of music surrounded you at home, and how have those influences shaped your sound today?
DB: So I would like to first, bear in mind that while I am fluent in R&B, I have not married myself to a particular genre of music. Hence why, my Tiny Desk is so important to watch because it showcases the eclecticism that I bring to the table. Discovering my identity involves collaboration with others rather than forcing it. I do write a lot of my material independently, especially for my recent project, but I had the privilege of collaborating with many creative minds who helped bring forth some truly beautiful masterpieces. By sharing my stories and experiences, we were able to develop these remarkable songs together. I am incredibly grateful for this open experience.
PV: Were there any musicians you listened to during your upbringing that had a significant impact on your own musical style?
DB: Alanis Morissette, Oasis, Erykah Badu, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald!
PV: That leans into the eclecticness that you were just speaking about. I can definitely see it!
DB: Of course! Jazz, gospel, even a little Enya in “ENIGMA” and Deep Forest.!
PV: A prominent theme in Bloom is love, encompassing not just romantic love, but also self-love, friendship, and community. What’s something that you learned about love while making this album?
DB: I don’t think there was anything new that I learned about love per se during this process. I think if anything, I just saw the beauty in numbers. I was able to lean on my village and my community in multiple areas that inspired me. So, I don’t know……..yeah, no. There wasn’t anything new that I learned. If anything, it was more of a reassurance, You know?
PV: I love that. It sounds like the love never left you.
DB: Yeah! Like, I am loved and I have support. It was simply a matter of people sharing their expertise, resources, and knowledge because they believed in me. Ultimately, it shows that if we truly want to achieve something, we can create that moment by coming together and collaborating.
“THAT’S THE HOMIE? THAT’S YOUR FRIEND??” – lyric from Jump, by Durand Bernarr
PV: That’s truly amazing! The joy of Black boys is incredibly important, especially in a world that often seeks to overshadow it. How do you nurture your joy, and in what ways does it manifest in your music?
DB: I think it’s because of the environment that I’m in. Exercising, drinking water, and rest. It really is important. Your environment and the people around you play a big factor in that. Outside of the, you know, the confidence and the self-love that has been invested and instilled in me by my parents. Still, it does take a village. And the fact that I can wake up and be myself…..that’s enough to sustain my joy. Then you got, of course, people around me who just embrace me for who I am, and it’s something that they have to accept, but they embrace me. So that’s another thing that just lets me know I have the right people behind me and we’re moving in the right direction.
PV: One of the most inspiring aspects of your music is how unapologetically authentic you are. This empowers others to embrace their own authenticity as they bloom. Building on that thought, as a Black queer artist in the music industry, have you encountered any resistance, or do you sense a shift towards greater inclusivity in the landscape?
DB: I feel like I came around at a time when a shift was happening. I experienced the tail end of my sexuality always being a topic of discussion or a question, or not wanting to take certain actions because they might lead to being labeled a certain way. But I feel that by just being myself, and eventually being open about it publicly, it became something else entirely. When I think of spaces or people who don’t want me there, I don’t focus on that. Instead, I focus on the spaces where I am welcomed, where I can thrive and be myself. I don’t mind disrupting a little peace here and there, but never at the cost of my own peace. So, if I have any say in it, I always make sure to place myself in environments where my nervous system can find some calm.
PV: I’m gonna write that one down! You worked with some incredible artists on this album, including T Pain and GAWD. What was one of the most unexpected or exciting parts of those collaborations?
DB: Well, the duo GAWD, I always wanted to work with because I feel like they’re the girl version of me, split in two. That was a very effortless thing for me because I’m a fan of all their melodies. The part that was the most exciting was definitely being able to work with T-Pain in the studio. He brought me on to perform for the Juneteenth celebration last year, so this was a different layer of working with him. You know when you meet someone and it’s just like, man, “If we’d have known each other back in high school or something, we would’ve gotten in so much trouble!” I love the outspokenness of (T-PAIN). I love his creativity. I love that he gives me the room to do me. As well as wanting to bring things out that aren’t already there. That was another aspect of his approach that I truly appreciated, you know?
PV: From Afro Punk to Tiny Desk, your live performances are always next level. How does performing these songs on stage bring them to life in a way that you can’t do in a studio?
DB: In the studio, you can only use your imagination of what you’re seeing. When you are performing live, you know, you’re able to really paint the picture, and really take the audience on the ride. There are certain medleys, movements, breakdowns, or key changes that you can do live. I always like to incorporate elements as an artist that the audience doesn’t expect. You know, because we’re always wondering how the audience will react to a song they love and how well interpret it live. It’s about introducing new elements we can bring to the performance, along with ideas I had while recording thinking ‘I’m going to save this for later’… I don’t want to give them too much all at once. So giving the song just enough to be interesting and then being able to have it go somewhere when you perform it live.
PV: You are a performer through and through! You’re so expressive and the whole audience feels that energy. Healing is a journey, and it feels like Bloom is a soundtrack for that process. What is something that you had to unlearn or let go of to step into your fullest self?
DB: Probably just slowly but surely abandoning this perfectionist mindset. You know, Everything doesn’t always have to be perfect [or] right on. My thing is….are you emoting? Do we truly resonate with what you’re expressing or the narrative you’re sharing through the vivid details in the lyrics? So, yes, that’s essentially where the essence lies.
PV: Lastly, after everything that went into creating Bloom, what is the biggest thing you hope that your listeners take away from this album?
DB: The first thing I hope to inspire them to do is to reflect on the people in their lives, particularly those they consider friends, and to establish a new standard for how they want to feel in those relationships. We often use the term “friend” loosely, but when it comes down to it, many of us simply know a lot of people. We may be familiar with many, but true friendships are those where individuals hold us accountable, cherish us, see our potential, and encourage us to be our authentic selves. There’s so much depth to these connections, and it’s beautiful to witness how some friends evolve into family. My hope is that this encourages them to redefine their standards for relationships.
PV: That’s wonderful. It was such a pleasure going on the journey and getting to explore your creative process. Thank you so much! Just a personal question for me. What is your favorite Proud Family episode?
DB: Oh, snap! Probably, when they went on the hip-hop helicopter.
PV: Yes! “ Wrong answer, Forehead!” LOL
DB: Baby, okay! Also, we have to shout out the Proud Family because it was a cartoon that really touched on a lot of different subject matters and almost created empathy for people who were different. And I really love that show. I’m so glad that Mel suggested that we do that one for Tiny Desk and not Popeye.
“I Won’t Become What I’ve Been Through” lyric from GENEROUS by Durand Bernarr.
“Bloom” by Durand Bernarr invites us to embark on a profound odyssey of love, vulnerability, and personal evolution. His masterful storytelling whispers that authentic intimacy flourishes through our presence for one another in significant ways. The track “Overqualified,” my personal favorite, beautifully intertwines themes of self-worth with the intricate dance of love. It serves as a gentle reminder that we are worthy of love that uplifts us, tests our limits, and empowers us to truly blossom.
Remember that your chosen spiritual family tree is just as important as the soil that birthed it. Remember to be generous with your love. ??
Listen to “BLOOM” by Durand Bernarr by clicking the links below:
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