According to Durand Bernarr, he’s not a “vibe” but rather “an experience.” Initially, the unashamed declaration was viewed by those outside of “the family” (or his most devoted fans) as a case of inflated arrogance. However, after experiencing the opening night of his You Gon’ Grow Too Tour stop at Warsaw, I quickly learned that Bernarr’s pronouncement was merely a necessary disclaimer for anyone brave enough to see him live. Put plainly, Durand Bernarr’s You Gon’ Grow Too Tour is the safe space you’ve been told exists–yet you could not seem to find, a physical manifestation of a soul’s refusal to be placated by presentability politics, and above all, a group therapy session you genuinely look forward to attending.
On May 8, Durand Bernarr made his long-anticipated return to Brooklyn, New York. With only the most eccentric souls from across New York City’s five boroughs and New Jersey descending on Warsaw, the show turned out to be a family reunion like none I’ve ever witnessed before. Packed among the sold-out venue was a sea of brown tones that would’ve easily made a Crayola manufacturer envious. Although the hues of concertgoers varied, attendees shared a rather interesting trait. Their admiration for Bernarr would be the obvious go-to. But, there was something much more spellbinding at play. Bernarr’s You Gon’ Grow Too Tour was the mythical safe space you only ever fantasized about. Nowadays, when a house of worship says come as you are it is a pleasantry religious leaders are required to say, yet do not always mean. That is not the case for the You Gon’ Grow Too Tour because it is a prerequisite for entry.
As Bernarr shouted, “Be yourself, because everyone else is taken,” he articulated what my spirit felt. At this moment, if only for a few hours, you have the utmost permission to exist unapologetically. Whether he was showing up as Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Durand Bernarr, DJ TBD (aka Bra Coley), or simply Bernarr Ferebee Jr. from Cleveland, Ohio, the “No Business” vocalist is going to do the same. From intimate pre-fame video montages and charismatic DJ sets to spontaneous praise breaks filled with humor, Bernarr laid a blueprint on how to love on yourself in every stage of being. Bernarr powered through tumultuous patches of naysayers to make it to his self-love paradise. Now, he wants to ensure others are ushered to emotional safety as well, regardless of their gender expression, sexual orientation, or physicality.
Given all the groundwork Bernarr is doing to put on a two-hour show, you’d think attendees are free from any planning responsibilities. That could not be further from the truth. To cultivate this garden of vulnerability, concertgoers played an equally important role in maintaining the atmosphere, being receptive, which Brooklyn nailed with ease. Opening with En Route’s “Processing…” signaled that, come hell or high water, ticket holders were going to be deprogrammed of any and all self-deprecating or self-loathing thoughts. Followed by the project’s “Must Be Nice,” “Fist Bump,” and “GPS,” Bernarr also enforced common courtesies to mitigate harm you can unintentionally cause others.
Nothing about the You Gon’ Grow Too Tour falls into the neat but often bland box of normalcy. Instead, it’s the physical manifestation of when you refuse to be placated by presentability politics. To borrow a phrase from Bernarr, he is both that n***a and that b*tch, while vulgar to most, this idiosyncratic two-spirtedness is exactly what’s missing from today’s music culture. Bernarr’s vast embrace of both his masculine and feminine selves doesn’t just show up in his free-flowing fluid stage ensembles or supporting multilayered visual projections; it is a magnetic energy attracting those who were told “they do the most,” including his opening acts, comedian Nore Davis, and musical duo Gawd.
Bernarr is not here to collect his fee, sing a few tracks, and then go about his evening. No. He is here to go above and beyond–not because he has something to prove; Bernarr is “doing the most” because he can. Life is a theater production, and Bernarr is a shoo-in for a Tony Award. Merely existing is not enough for Bernarr, so he is going to oversing, dance, and emote. When you participate in making yourself small via any social construct’s restrictive bounds, you cheat not only yourself of all that you are but God, because he gave it to you to give others. Bernarr’s grandiose performance of “Unknown” highlighted that. Yes, it would be untroubling to rest on his fundamental vocal abilities because even his base is above average. Still, that’s not an artistic sacrifice Bernarr is willing to make. Bernarr won’t rest in the safety zone of life or as a recording artist. Singers are instructed to dial back their voice with veiled promises of professional longevity. Bernarr, on the other hand, is subscribed to the Beyoncé philosophy– if you got it, flaunt it.
As he pulled notes from every corner of the musical scale, Bernarr’s impromptu vocal production is there to shake you out of the norm you’ve become accustomed to. Presentability politics urge folks to fit. Why? The comfort of others? Mass uniformity? That is of no interest to Bernarr as operating in the fray is so much more fun. As the finest turquoise jersey knit blouse dusted his chest and he masterfully deconstructed every traditional vocal run, Bernarr demonstrated that boldness, unique to distinct individuality, is the only path leading to true freedom, not algorithm chasing or formulaic trend regurgitation. Durand Bernarr is the best Durand Bernarr. That just so happens to include the vocal prowess of the late Luther Vandross, eccentricity of the late Prince, transcending spirit of Erykah Badu, and the showmanship of Beyoncé. Stepping into Warsaw, I grew concerned that the 1,300 capacity space was too small for what Durand Bernarr had in store. Somehow, Bernarr made the hall feel like a stadium with perfectly planned lighting cues and a three-piece band (guitarist, pianist, and drummer).
After a spunky set from DJ TBD (his other professional alias), Durand Bernarr transitioned into the project everyone was gathered for, Bloom. This half of Bernarr’s show is where the tour’s title came into play. Kicking things off with “Completed,” the group therapy session of Bernarr’s You Gon’ Grow Too Tour began. Rather than retreating from the album’s difficult conversations, attendees ran towards healing with open arms. In his ever-so angelic tone, Bernarr worked his way through Bloom standouts “No Business,” “Overqualified,” and “Flounce.” Just because emotional development is the session’s focal point, that does not mean it has to be painstaking or boring. As Bernarr delivered a prophetic word of encouragement over fans’ internal growth, you realized therapy could be something you genuinely looked forward to. Bernarr is not here to point fingers. He’s here to clear a path of deliverance soundtracked by his robust bops. Riddled with mandatory collaborative hip swaying and periodic demands to “turn to your neighbor,” healing was not only in session, but also in season.
All in all, Durand Bernarr’s You Gon’ Grow Too Tour stop at Warsaw was the mythical safe space you only ever fantasized, a manifestation of when you refuse to be placated by presentability politics, and a group therapy session you genuinely look forward to attending. If you attend, you are required to sign a waiver vowing to shed the bullsh*t you’ve been carrying around. Because, if Duran Bernarr can embrace the process of healing, you gon’ heal too.
Durand Bernarr’s new album Bloom is available on digital streaming platforms Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal.
Do you want more of Durand Bernarr? Stay connected with him on your preferred social media platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.
Setlist
- “Process (Intro)”
- “Must Be Nice”
- “Fist Bump”
- “GPS”
- “ETA”
- “Unknown”
-DJ TBD set-
- “Completed”
- “Reaching”
- “Jump”
- “No Business”
- “Overqualified”
- “Impact”
- “Flounce”
- “Specialty”
- “Generous”
- “Home Alone”
