Durand Bernarr didn’t realize he was clapping for himself. The queer R&B and soul musician recalls how his historic Grammy win earlier this year was one of those “surreal moments” where it’s hard to fully comprehend what’s happening in real time.
“It was more like celebrating someone else, because that’s what I thought I was hearing,” Bernarr says. The Best Progressive R&B Album category at the 68th Grammy Awards was stacked, making the confusion understandable. Bernarr — nominated for Bloom, his fourth studio album — was up against a formidable group that included R&B veteran Bilal, U.K. girl group FLO, heartthrob Destin Conrad, and the duo of Terrace Martin and Kenyon Dixon. As legendary producer and songwriter Jimmy Jam began announcing the winner, the moment unfolded in what Bernarr describes as “slow motion.”
It was a full-circle moment for the “Overqualified” singer, who released his first mixtape, alcoholharmony: The MixT@pe, in 2009. That mixtape was comprised of original music and covers of songs by big-name artists like Kanye West and Amy Winehouse, and had previously garnered him attention and a fanbase on social media. A following 2010 mixtape, 8ight: The Stepson of Erykah Badu, led to Erykah Badu (a notable influence for him) hiring him as a background singer, which helped pave the way for more work lending his vocals to performers like Kaytranada as well as his own solo career. (Music is in his blood, too; Bernarr’s mother is a music teacher and his father is an audio producer who has worked with A-list headliners like Whitney Houston; Earth, Wind & Fire; and Beyoncé.)
Grammy winner Durand BernarrFaith Joyvon
2025 marked a major turning point for Bernarr, who also counts Little Richard, Prince, and Rick James as influences. He won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. And Jam and Terry Lewis personally invited him to perform alongside them at the Guitar Center Music Foundation Gala, where they received the nonprofit’s Vanguard Award.
They weren’t the only award-winning legends to take notice of Bernarr’s talent. Back in March 2024, he received a surprise FaceTime during intermission of a theater performance. “I’m still recovering from being on FaceTime with Janet Jackson. Like, just randomly, she told me that she watched my Tiny Desk [performance] and listens to my music. I’m still trying to gather from that moment,” he shares.
It was clear that Bernarr’s Grammy triumph wasn’t just a career milestone; this was something far bigger than him. With his parents in the audience and over a decade of tireless grinding behind him, Bernarr’s win felt like more than the recognition of a lifetime; it felt like visibility.
“You were witnessing intersectionality in a way that was being celebrated and witnessed also,” he says. “Just seeing the support of my parents being there, and knowing all of the time and effort that has been poured into this vessel…a lot of times you just need to see it, to know that it is possible.”
Bernarr’s dad was instrumental to his awards success; he submitted his son’s 2024 EP En Route for Recording Academy consideration without his knowledge. The move garnered Bernarr his first Grammy nominations — for Progressive R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2025 — making his 2026 win all the more exciting. It’s a testament to the unwavering support of his parents throughout his life.
Durand Bernarr accepts the Best Progressive R&B Album award for Bloom onstage at the 68th Grammy Awards in February, 2026.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Bernarr opened his February 1st Grammy speech with an enthusiastic, “Happy Black History Month for the rest of my life!” Excitement radiated through the auditorium. Not just in the room, but sending a wave of hope to aspiring Black queer artists who didn’t believe a Grammy was even a possibility, a notion that Bernarr describes as “noise.” It’s hard to believe the singer once wanted to be a firefighter, but quickly pivoted after discovering the job required walking into burning buildings.
Almost overnight, Bernarr went from a fan to a peer of the very artists he once admired. “The next day, you go into the studio, and you get a phone call from Raphael Saadiq. Earth, Wind & Fire is making a personal post about me,” he says. Most people can’t imagine the packed schedule of a new Grammy winner. As Bernarr tells it, everyone wants a piece, and sometimes there isn’t any time for oneself. “There haven’t really been moments of stillness for me to really digest all the things that are happening,” he says. “This was nothing I had wished for or prayed for. However, it was something I did say yes to.”
And there are no signs of things slowing down. The artist recently released another album, Bernarr. He also has an extensive slate of shows and festivals he’ll be headlining this summer, including two sold-out performances at the Blue Note Jazz Club in Los Angeles, as well as appearances at DC Black Pride, Chicago PrideFest, the LOVE Supreme Jazz Fest, and Outside Lands.
He’ll also be performing at the Netflix Is a Joke Comedy Festival. Yes, already known for his comedic performances and larger-than-life personality, Bernarr is now officially adding comedy to his repertoire. Sort of. He recently headlined his new comedy-infused variety show called Story Time at the Comedy Store and another set, the “First Draft” Comedy Show, at the Sun Rose in West Hollywood. But he’s by no means considering a full-time career in comedy.
“I know stand-up is definitely an art form, and there are people who genuinely know they’re funny, but there’s a difference between being funny on the couch and being funny in front of people,” he says. Regardless, he brings something unique to the stand-up stage. Bernarr’s Story Time fuses his life stories, music, and comedy into a live experience that only he can do. He hopes to give this era of his craft the moment it deserves — a full-circle moment in bloom.
When asked if he still feels imposter syndrome for any of his success, he replies, “I want to say that there is no impostor syndrome. There’s something that [actor, comedian, and social media star] Kalen Allen said, and I totally agree: that I know I deserve to be in these rooms.”
This article is part of Out’s May-June 2026 print issue, which hits newsstands May 26. Support queer media and subscribe — or download the issue through Apple News+, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader.
