Dean Ford was making records by 15 — he didn’t want to do anything else. He was enthralled by David Bowie, Prince, Freddie Mercury, Madonna, and James Brown, artists who were bigger than their music, personas and cultural markers all unto themselves.

Based in Portland, Maine, Ford makes pop music with a rock musician’s instincts and a showman’s sense of drama. After early releases rooted in acoustic songwriting and power pop, he embraced synthesizers and electronic production on CTRL, then expanded that sound on his first full-length album, Get Messy.

For Dream Fever, Ford teamed up with songwriter and producer Bleu, whose credits include Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, and Selena Gomez. The EP builds on Ford’s blend of dance-pop and effervescent rock with synth-driven songs built for the radio, the club, and the stage.

Years of cross-country gigs have shaped Ford’s electric live show. He further honed his stagecraft during his time fronting the Prince tribute Dean Ford & The Beautiful Ones. A showman in the classic sense, Ford is one of those rare few who seem more comfortable on the stage than off it, backed by a powerhouse band that knows how to make him look good.

A seasoned bandleader and multi-instrumentalist, Ford knows exactly what he wants from every instrument. He is currently writing and recording new material. Whether he’s piecing together another track in the home studio or bouncing tracks back and forth with collaborators, top of mind is just how it’s going to hit when he brings it to the stage.