Attention Prince lovers: This interview’s for you!
Dean Ford is a music artist that you definitely need to know. He recently released an EP titled ‘Dream Fever’, which includes 6 unforgettable hits.
We had the amazing honor of talking with Dean about Dean Ford and the Beautiful Ones, the POP 2000 Tour, and more!
When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?
D: “I was probably around 6 years old when I told my parents I was going to be a professional musician. I knew it from the moment I first heard “Make It Big” by Wham! and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. But it was when I found out about Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC that I truly knew music was what I wanted to spend my life doing.”
Tell us more about your amazing new EP Dream Fever.
D: “Dream Fever is my first original release since 2015 and the first music I’ve written since 2013. After years of focusing on my Prince tribute act, like pretty much everyone I was forced to take time off due to the pandemic. That break allowed me an opportunity to reset and work on something just for myself, without an agenda or plan. I was itching to collaborate for the first time, so I reached out to Bleu and we started co-writing songs which would inevitably turn into this EP. Thematically and musically, I feel every song compliments each other. It’s a pretty upbeat pop album about relationships, emotional highs and lows, hope, uncertainty, and love.”
If you had to choose, which is your favorite song off of the EP and why?
D: “I’m very proud of the entire EP, but if I was to pick a favorite it would be “VHS.” It’s the one song I worked on alone and it’s the most personal to me.”
What is your songwriting process usually like?
D: “On my own, I don’t really have a process or formula I stick to. Inspiration is a fickle thing for me. Sometimes it just flows and other times it feels impossible. It’s always a different experience. Writing with Bleu is a completely different story. Somehow, he has tapped into this thing where writer’s block doesn’t exist. Every session starts with a musical idea, then we figure out the song structure, come up with a title, write the lyrics and melody, then my parts are recorded, finally Bleu will mix it, and it’s done and onto the next.”
What first inspired your Prince tribute group, Dean Ford and the Beautiful Ones?
D: “Prince is my favorite artist of all time. Around 12 years ago, there were a number of cover shows in my hometown. I wanted to do one and decided I’d perform the album Purple Rain in its entirety. Something just clicked and I figured why not take the show on the road? So, that’s exactly what I did.”
What is your personal favorite Prince song, and why?
D: “This one is tough… My favorite Prince song changes daily. To perform live, these days it’s probably “Computer Blue” or “The Beautiful Ones.” To listen to, I’d say my favorite right now is “Anna Stesia.”
We hear that you’re headed to the POP 2000 Tour! Are you excited?
D: “Yes, I am very excited! I’ve had the pleasure of opening for O-Town twice and Ryan Cabrera once before, so I’m looking forward to doing it three more times! I grew up on the music from every act on the tour, and as I said earlier, *NSYNC played a huge role in my decision to get into music in the first place, so I’m beyond thrilled for this opportunity.”
Where can we follow your amazing journey?
D: “You can follow me @itsdeanford on all socials, @deanfordmusic on Facebook and www.itsdeanford.com for everything else.”
Make sure to stream ‘Dream Fever’, available now on all music platforms!
Photo Credit: Tom Couture
Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.
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