Columbia native, USC graduate nominated for Grammy as featured artist
Hootie & the Blowfish might not be the only musical act from Columbia to hold the title of Grammy winner soon.
Toro Y Moi was nominated for Best Dance Recording.
Toro Y Moi is the moniker of 34-year-old musician Chaz Bear, born Chaz Bundick, a Columbia native and University of South Carolina graduate.
The song that’s up for a 2020 Grammy is Difference by Flume, an Australian DJ who produces electronic music. Toro Y Moi is featured on the song as the vocalist.
Bear formed Toro Y Moi in 2008 playing house parties and venues in Columbia. Carpark records signed him in 2009 and put out his debut album Causers of This, which sprung Bear from the underground into festival-circuit success.
Bear helped create and popularize a sub-genre of electronic dance music called chillwave, which is known for simple sampled grooves, atmospheric instrumentation and vocals, and lo-fi recording.
Since inaugurating the sub-genre, Bear’s music as Toro Y Moi has brought in elements of hip hop production, electronic indie-pop, R&B and smooth funk, all with a focus on danceable beats.
Before coming to prominence with Toro Y Moi, Bear played in indie rock band The Heist & the Accomplice, which was popular in Columbia’s music scene. Bear is now based in Berkeley, California. This is his first Grammy nomination.
Winning a Grammy Award, by the Recording Academy, is considered a top honor in the American music industry. The award show will be broadcast Jan. 31 but usually only the top genres such as hip hop, R&B, and rock are shown on television.
Aside from Hootie & the Blowfish, which won two 1996 Grammys, other South Carolina musical acts that have gotten the award include Ranky Tanky and James Brown. Darius Rucker, frontman of Hootie & the Blowfish, also won a 2013 Grammy.
This story was originally published November 25, 2020 at 11:10 AM.