R&B singer Durell Anthony was born and raised in Kansas, attending Benedictine College on a vocal scholarship. After receiving his Bachelors degree, he pursued careers in both counseling and education. "I’ve always enjoyed working with kids, so my initial goal was to become a teacher. That seemed to be the responsible thing to do. But deep down, I really wanted to sing. I just wasn’t sure how to turn that into a career."

A summer job in San Diego as a fitness counselor led him to relocate to California in 2010, where he joined the Black Belt Jones Band. He later became a member of the Mighty Untouchables, as well as leading his own R&B band, the Durell Anthony Collective.

His single "Dreams" was released in 2018, followed by an EP in 2019 and a song written for his daughter, "Sleepless," released in 2020. In February of that year, he appeared on an NBC Elvis Presley TV special. "I was a part of a small group singing backup for Yolonda Adams and Carrie Underwood," he told the Reader. "Elvis performed a special in 1968, and this special was a 50 year anniversary tribute to that. We performed a couple of his gospel songs."

In early 2021, Anthony competed on The Voice. "Be With U" was the singer's first single since appearing on the TV talent contest. "I've now branded myself as a solo singer-pianist and my time on the show has allowed for an increase in bookings as well as an increase in my YouTube and Instagram communities," Anthony told The Reader.

"Although I've been cutting my teeth as a pro singer for years now, the extra stamp of validation of being chosen by John Legend on national television has given me tremendous confidence as I move forward in my career. I often get people who come out to see me play live and request both 'What's Going On' and 'Emotion,' and it brings back great memories. My biggest takeaway since The Voice is to always be prepared. Always be working on your craft. Take it seriously. Work on it when no one is watching. Fall in love with the process of getting better. I wasn't particularly looking for this opportunity, but when it came, I was able to rely on the thousands of hours of singing I had done since I was 9 years old. And given the fact that I didn't advance as far as I'd like, I know there's more work to be done. Also, this opportunity showed me that I'm mentally strong enough to perform at the highest level. John Legend told me during rehearsals that the best way to work through nerves is, in fact, to work through nerves! This is my mentality moving forward whenever fear creeps in."