Singer-Songwriter Duane Forrest’s Journey to Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022

by | Aug 19, 2022

Toronto-based Duane Forrest is a man of many talents, which all result in creating beautiful things. As a singer-songwriter, his unique sound in music infuses jazz, reggae, bossa nova, and soul (thanks to smooth vocals). They also captivate the essence of his experiences from traveling the world, falling in love, and finding wonder in the highs and lows of each human experience. Speaking about his wanderlust, Duane has toured around Canada, Europe, and Central America.

His passion for arts education especially as a multimedia artist led to the foundation of the Genesis Community of the Arts, a registered Canadian charity that offers music and arts education to marginalized children and youth in Toronto and Central America.

With success after success back in 2019, Duane is bound to return for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this 2022 with a revamped version of his live music show, Climb. Through that hype, we chatted with him one-on-one to delve deeper into this show.

I feel like the name you’ve chosen for Edinburgh Fringe Festival is symbolic of the emotions you explore and your travels. What was the main inspiration behind the name Climb? 

Inspiration came in the form of a woman I met in Mexico. You hear about her at the beginning of the show. She could see that I was interested in her,

She was quick to pick up how interested I was in her, but I didn’t have the courage to speak with her. Because of that, she came up to me and said:

 “Diego, Yo soy una manzana, que esta arriba en un árbol. En este árbol hay muchas manzanas, y unos en el suelo, facil para recoger, pero si tu quieres a mi, tienes que subir”

A rough translation of her words goes along the lines of “I’m an apple high up in a tree, if you want to be with me, you’ll have to climb”.

This statement stayed with me throughout my travels and life, and even influenced my music. It’s really learning about my worth or my partner’s worth, where we’re constantly growing and changing.

Today, our company is now called Apple in the Tree Co.

What was the process like of developing the show with Ins Choi? Was there anything you both did that ignited creativity? 

Yes, working with Ins was an amazing and humbling experience. Not to mention how cool his creative process is. One thing we did that stood out to me was ask me to print the lyrics of all of my songs. From there, we separated each song and then put them on a large board.

We started moving and arranging the orders, even cutting some song verses and switching up those orders. Towards the end, we found the map of the story of CLIMB within those songs.

I’m very inspired by your decision to donate the proceeds of the ticket sales to Genesis Arts School. What do you think music brings to young children?

Possibility. I truly believe creativity unlocks gates that lead to hopeful dreams. So the more you cherish this aspect of children or youth, the more, fresh ideas they’ll come up with. I also think that you generally become a better person in many ways once you unleash the artistic side in you!

Reggae is a beautiful genre of music. It is militant and spiritual, becoming a big contribution to developing new counterculture movements. Can you share a personal story behind your second show ‘Reggae – how music from a small island changed the world?

My family is from Jamaica, and we grew up with reggae. That influence is portrayed in all of my writing, timing, and groove.

Though as I got older, and gradually the origins of reggae as something spiritual and political, my way of writing shaped into a mature mindset. Like Bob Marley, I’ve had my fair share of love songs. But now, I am tackling more political themes especially when I look up to him. I want to touch and change the world in some way, like he has, for the better. And through reggae, that is possible.

You describe your music to bring love, clarity, and joy into this broken world. What is the one message you hope resonates with your audience?

I want the audience to take the lyrics of “Le Sol”, one of the songs from my latest album, back home and as they grow older. They go along the lines of:

“It’ll be alright, it’ll be okay, life’s dark like the night, but we’ll find our way”

Additionally, Duane is running another music show in Edinburgh at the PBH Free Fringe at the Merlin stage. This show is called Regge – How music from a small Island changed the world. The show runs at 15.45 from the 6th – 28th August.

To buy tickets For Climb – https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/climb

EIC: Derek Warburton | Managing Editor: Cyan Leigh Dacasin | Written by Holly Lewis | Edited by Marielle Balmores

For more on Duane Forrest: www.duanesguitar.com | IG: duaneintheforest | Spotify: Duane Forrest

 

You Might Also Like

Passion Tree Unveils First-Ever Mini Hard Seltzer, Now Available Target: A Game-Changer for Moderate Drinking Trends

by | Nov 6, 2023 | Featured,Home,Lifestyle | 0 Comments

In a thrilling move that has been eagerly anticipated, Passion Tree is proud to introduce the world's first-ever mini hard seltzer—a revolutionary portion-controlled...

Q&A: An Inside Look into the Creative Agency Behind LA’s Hottest Events

by | Nov 3, 2023 | Celebrity,Featured,Gurus Magazine,Home | 0 Comments

We’ve all seen one too many episodes of Entourage or Selling Sunset to not recognize that part of Los Angeles’ luxury and glamor is the “need to know '' iconic events...

Actress Annette Bening Honored With Advocate Award At Rise Up LA Benefiting GLSEN

by | Nov 1, 2023 | Celebrity,Community Service,Featured,Home | 0 Comments

 GLSEN, the leading education organization dedicated to creating safe and inclusive K-12 schools for LGBTQ+ youth celebrated another year of their wildly successful...

Unveiling the Ultimate Whiskey: Glen Grant’s 72-Year-Old Elixir of Opulence

by | Oct 27, 2023 | Celebrity,Featured,Gurus Magazine,Home,LA Inquisitor,Lifestyle | 0 Comments

October 19th, 2023 – Beverly Hills, CA. CaskX Whiskey Investment hosted an exclusive Glen Grant 72 VIP Whisky Tasting event. Picture this: a posh private estate nestled...

The Plaza Hosts FGI’s 2023 Night of Stars Gala and Awards Ceremony

by | Oct 20, 2023 | Celebrity,Featured,Gurus Magazine,Home,Lifestyle | 0 Comments

New York, October 17, 2023 - The City That Never Sleeps bore witness to an enchanting spectacle as the luminaries of fashion, beauty, arts, culture, and entertainment...

Say Goodbye To Zombie Cells With Skin Moderne

by | Oct 18, 2023 | Gurus Magazine,Home,Lifestyle,Medical | 0 Comments

For thousands of years the search for the mythical fountain of youth has plagued man-kind and the inevitable aging. The many tales of Herodotus and Ponce de Leon...

Selling The OC’s Polly Brindle Unveils the Ultimate Newport’s Iconic Outdoor Elegance

by | Oct 18, 2023 | Celebrity,Featured,Gurus Magazine,Home,LA Inquisitor,Lifestyle | 0 Comments

Have you ever wondered how to turn your backyard into a dazzling, envy-inducing oasis? Well, look no further, because we've got the inside scoop on how Polly Brindle,...

Transforming Trauma into Resilience: An Inspiring Journey with Author Krista

by | Oct 4, 2023 | Featured,Gurus Magazine,Home,Lifestyle | 0 Comments

In the world of literature, there are stories that not only captivate but also empower, leaving an indelible mark on readers' hearts and minds. Today, we delve into the...

A Day In The Life: Natalya Cappellini

by | Oct 2, 2023 | Gurus Magazine,Home,Lifestyle | 0 Comments

Name:  Natalya Cappellini Occupation: CEO of Curato Design/Build Bit of bio: Natalya founded Curato in 2018 after working with large-scale construction management...