Email: neill@outloudculture.com
Powerhouse vocalists Cooper Phillip and Durand Bernarr have teamed up for a sensational offering in “The Answers” – further realized in an epic new video. Blending Afro-fusion beat drops and kaleidoscopic sounds with the pair’s exquisite, remarkable vocal harmonizing and dynamic chemistry, “The Answers” takes shape as a masterclass in how to deliver an unforgettable vocal performance with
substance – blurring the lines between cinematic sonic architecture, R&B spirit, and pop universality.
Meanwhile, the Oluchi Mavi directed visuals bring breath-taking, incredibly stunning desert landscapes to frame, with Cooper and Durand soaking up the scenery while charismatically serving looks and slick choreography. The critically acclaimed Durand joins Cooper on “The Answers” fresh from his debut NPR ‘Tiny Desk’ concert, as well as the LA resident’s 2022 Wanderlust album –
which was chosen as one of VIBE’s Best 25 R&B albums of the year. Described by The Grammys as “one of the inescapably popular voices in R&B”, the eclectic performer brings a new level of allure and charm to Cooper’s magic, with Cooper joining a star-studded list of Durand’s collaborators including Erykah Badu, The Internet, Anderson. Paak, Ari Lennox, Kaytranada and Teedra Moses.
Cooper Phillip said the following about “The Answers”: “The single discusses the perils of external validation and how in moments of weakness we should look inward for the answers to life’s most important questions.”
With a skyscraping voice and unapologetic hustle and attitude, Cooper Phillip asserts herself as a bold, blunt, and boundary-breaking force for pop music and culture. “The Answers” is the latest release from the classically trained, Russian-born and Los Angeles-based musician, following a string of singles like “Party by Myself” (1.6M streams), “Not Perfect” (561K streams) and 2022’s funk-pop gem “Masterpiece” which has since surpassed 450K+ views for the music video (watch). As a kid, Cooper called the provincial city of Saratov home. With her mother on tour as a classical violinist, Cooper grew up under the watch of her aunt and grandmother. Nevertheless, she naturally absorbed her mother’s passion for music and picked up piano and harp, in addition to honing her voice in choir.
Cooper further immersed herself in the timeless compositions of Tchaikovsky and Puccini, as well as the vocal acrobatics of R&B superstars a la Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. A prodigy in her own right, she gained admission into the prestigious Moscow State Classical Academy, studying piano, music theory, harp, jazz, blues, voice, and ballet while working towards a Master’s Degree. Invited to New York City by some friends, Cooper wound up cutting her teeth in the Big Apple scene at barely 19-years-old. In order to survive, she sang anywhere she could. As if manifesting the future through a diligent commitment to her craft, she accepted an opportunity to record in Los Angeles and never left. Cooper has artistically evolved one single at a time, building an audience of over 300K on Instagram and earning acclaim from the likes of WONDERLAND, American Songwriter, Earmilk, and Hollywood Life for her genre-blending pop and R&B numbers.
Now, Cooper amplifies her voice on the global stage like never before with a series of 2023 singles – “The Answers” is the start of something very special, stay tuned for much more to come.
Hi Cooper welcome to OLC! For our viewers out there can you tell us a bit about yourself and when you discovered your passion for music?
Hi 👋 I was blessed to be born into a family of classical musicians and grew up watching the most amazing operas and ballets from the orchestra, where my mom used to play. Music was my sacred world since the very beginning. I can’t imagine my life without music.
Had you always known music was something you wanted to pursue? And how supportive were your parents of that?
My mom raised me by herself, I never got a chance to meet my dad. My mother was always super supportive and was the first person to notice my singing talent. I loved ballet and studied classical ballet in my childhood. I was dreaming of becoming a professional dancer until I started singing and discovered my true passion for singing.
You started trying to make a name for yourself in New York before moving to L.A. to record I believe? How were you discovered?
I sent my covers to a friend of a friend who was a record producer in LA, while I was still settling in NYC. He showed my records to label owner and I got signed on the spot.
You have a brand new single called ‘The Answers’, can you tell me a bit about the song and what inspired it?
It was one of the first records that I wrote during the pandemic. I felt it’s time to talk about real things and real issues in society and in my opinion a lot of people are looking for the answers outside of themselves and it’s wrong. I believe we all have the answers inside, and we’ve just got to listen to our inner voice and follow it.
How did the collaboration with Durand Bernarr come about?
I met Durand at Stevie Mackay’s gym session and we connected right away. Then I had a meeting with Durand where I played my records to him and he immediately fell in love with this one.
What does this song personally mean to you?
It means that I can talk about real issues that I have, no matter what.
I love the music video, where did the idea come from and where did you film it? The location looks familiar like I’ve seen it in a movie maybe?
Yes, it is famous filming location called Lake El Mirage. I always wanted to shoot there. The idea was brought up by the Director – my dear friend, Julia. She unfortunately passed away almost a year ago. The news of her passing broke my heart. This music video now has even more personal meaning.
Do you have any up coming shows where people can come see you perform?
Yes. But I can’t talk about it yet!
Where has been the most memorable place for you to perform and Why? And is there anywhere you’d love to perform that you haven’t had an opportunity to?
The most memorable performance so far was the national anthem performance in New Jersey, where I got the chance to perform in front of 30,000 people at the NBA game.
I would love to perform at Madison Square Garden. It is my dream venue since the first time I saw a live performance by Mariah Carey there.
Do you have any more music in the works you can tell us about?
Absolutely! During the pandemic, I was able to record over 20 songs and can’t wait to share them with the universe. Hopefully I can release them very soon.
SOCIALS: Cooper Phillip + Durand Bernarr
