Ohio native Durand Bernarr is en route to the Grammys

It’s not everyday someone from Ohio is nominated for a Grammy, but Durand Bernarr is far from your everyday artist.

The independent singer, songwriter and creative visionary has been in the game for 20 years. Bernarr began his career the same year as Rihanna, but with his Grammy nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album for his EP, En Route, an upcoming single and a highly anticipated third studio album, the out LGBTQ+ artist is proving he’s only just getting started.

Bernarr is part of a powerful wave of Black queer artists from Ohio gaining global visibility, from his groundbreaking Grammy nomination and the recent casting of fellow Cleveland native Onya Nurve on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Growing up in Cleveland– a city that has produced music legends including Bobby Womack, Tracy Chapman, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Bernarr was immersed in a world of creativity and performance from an early age.

“I grew up on 93rd and Saint Clair and my parents are very musical. They play instruments, they sing,” he shared. “I was involved in the church, I went to the Cleveland Institute of Music for movement and Playhouse Square for acting. I was also doing stage productions at Karamu House Theatre, going to open mic nights where they would do poetry slams and I would come and perform. I would sing, I would do poetry sometimes. There were options, you know – things I was able to be invested in when it came to my art.”

This foundation set the stage for Bernarr’s impressive career, marked by releases like 2022’s Wanderlust; collaborations with Kaytranada, Erykah Badu and Earth, Wind & Fire; and an unforgettable 2023 Tiny Desk performance where he and his band paid homage to Disney’s The Proud Family.

Merging timeless R&B elements with a modern, queer theatricality, Bernarr’s artistry is best described in his own words.

“I see my music as if Luther Vandross or Whitney Houston were singing songs with comedic relief,” he says. “There’s a particular audience that really loves me—like the aunties and uncles—because they’re still hip to what’s going on and the transformation of music. But they also remember when songs had bridges, when there wasn’t all this extra stuff – just real singing. So when you can incorporate humor with real singing and give them something they can sing along to, that’s a recipe for … well, to know me is to love me.”

And if to know him is to love him, Bernarr’s currently untitled upcoming album is all about exploring what that love really means. Led by the single “Impact,” it reflects a deep exploration of love beyond just romance – touching on self-love, friendship, community and accountability.

“It really just comes from my upbringing,” he explains. “My parents made sure I had a voice. That I was heard. They taught me to ask questions, be a good friend, and look people in the eye. I had a support system that never threw me away. That foundation is what I bring into my music.”

“Impact” serves as both an introduction to the new project and a thematic anchor. “When you’re in close quarters with people, you’re constantly bumping into each other—physically and emotionally,” Bernarr says about the new song. “At some point, you realize you don’t have to keep apologizing, because you know where your heart was. It’s not intentional. And if we’re going to be making an impact on one another, I don’t mind knocking something over or bumping into things. I’m clumsy, and I’m also talking about how I’m gracious, but not always graceful.”

Bernarr remains as grounded as ever—despite being literally in the sky when he got the news about his Grammy nomination. “I was being seated on an airplane when I found out from some kind stranger on X,” he recalls. “I couldn’t scream, couldn’t flail my arms, couldn’t jump—because I had just gotten seated, and I’m not trying to end up on the no-fly list. So I had what you call ‘excitement constipation.’ I was sweating that entire flight.”

Once he landed in Houston, though, the celebration began and the sweat continued, this time, a little differently. “I’m so glad I went out that night,” he says. “The DJ was playing everything—all the ’80s and ’90s jams I love, alternative cuts, just the songs. I danced and danced and danced until the rain came down.”

Despite the industry recognition, Bernarr sees success as something that goes beyond awards and is all about the work, and he is ready to take listeners on what he calls an “auditory adventure.” “Now that I have everyone’s attention, I would hope that I continue to be inspired to create bodies of work that will outlive me,” he says. “Timeless bodies of work—songs that feel good, that trigger some kind of emotion from the story and the approach.”

With an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation nationally and in Ohio, hope is vital for young queer Ohioans right now, and so is taking of yourself and one another, Bernarr acknowledges.

“Your environment and the company you keep are vital to your health,” he advises. “Make sure you’re getting proper rest, using your network – and don’t feel like you have to do everything by yourself. Go to open mics, perform, share your work. Get people to listen. That’s how you build community. And the beauty of creation is in collaboration—there’s so much power in knowing you don’t have to do it alone.” 🔥