Questlove and The Balvenie are returning for a second season of his award-winning digital series, Quest for Craft. The second season finds the multi-hyphenate once again chatting with some of the world’s most recognizable faces, including Mark Ronson, Misty Copeland, Fran Lebowitz, and Kenan Thompson.
Quest for Craft explores the obsessive, never-ending journey to craft the extraordinary through conversations with compelling cultural creators that pour their hearts into their own craft. The series continues to peel back the curtain through new perspectives, unveiling the uniquely human attributes and deep intrinsic values that elevate something from great to exceptional. With insight from some of the world’s most creative minds, the series uncovers the nuances integral to the creative process through their own pursuit of craft across music, dance, writing, comedy, and the whisky-making process.
“The Balvenie is anchored in heart, and that’s exactly what drives this project, our guests and myself, personally. There’s no substitute for that kind of passion needed to drive the continual pursuit of the extraordinary,” said Questlove. “Coming back for season two of Quest for Craft, we dig in deeper and hone in on the elements that have inherent value and major impact on the creative process. From conversations with four of the greatest minds of our generation, who I’ve known and admired for years, I’ve been able to gain a completely new perspective on who they are as creators and apply their learnings to refine my own creative approach.”
In its second season, again filmed in the iconic Electric Lady Studios in New York City, Quest for Craft takes the viewer on an even deeper dive into the world of craftsmanship by analyzing creativity through the lens of chemistry, place, perfection and expression with guests:
- Chapter 5, Craft and Expression with Music Producer and Star-Studded Collaborator Mark Ronson – Questlove and Mark Ronson delve into the unique magic of cohesion with creative collaborators, and advice for creators to leave their own distinctive mark.
- Chapter 6, Craft and Perfection with History-Making Professional Ballet Dancer Misty Copeland – Questlove and American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Misty Copeland consider whether practice really does make perfect, her unconventional path to professional dance and how self-expression and defying expectations can allow you to attain your own ideal.
- Chapter 7, Craft and Place with Author and New York City Guru Fran Lebowitz – Questlove and Fran Lebowitz explore the impact your environment can have on your craft, and the two go on a journey through New York… without even leaving Electric Lady Studios.
- Chapter 8, Craft and Chemistry with Comedian and Master of Ensemble Kenan Thompson – Questlove and Kenan Thompson discuss his 20 years on SNL, “30 Rock University” and the remarkable experience of working as part of an ensemble.
“Craft and creativity are inextricably linked, and are at the core of our distillery’s past, present and future. As a family-owned company dating back to 1892, The Balvenie leads with a legacy of long-term innovation and a steadfast commitment to excellence made possible by our Five Rare Crafts, comprised of unmatched ingredients, processes and people,” said Greg Levine, Vice President, Marketing, Single Malt Scotch Whiskies USA. “In its second year, Quest for Craft builds on the tenants of craftsmanship explored in season one, and unveils even more truths behind modern creativity and inspiration. With deep knowledge of music, entertainment, culinary and literary fields, and having literally written the book on the subject of creativity with Creative Quest, we’re reminded how perfectly positioned Questlove is to help us unpack the uniquely human elements that elevate the great to the exceptional.”
In 2021, The Balvenie embarked on a new creative journey with the arrival of Quest for Craft: Season One, a disquisitive digital series hosted by Questlove. Over the four episodes featured in its inaugural season, The Balvenie and Questlove embark on thought provoking conversations around the creative processes, inspirations and aspirations of legendary GRAMMY Award-winning music producer Jimmy Jam, SNL comedian Michael Che, punk-rock icon Patti Smith, and prolific author Malcolm Gladwell.
Quest for Craft is the hallmark collaboration of a multi-year partnership between The Balvenie and Questlove and an extension of The Balvenie’s global campaign The Makers Project, in which the brand brings to life not just the skill but the heart of makers around the world via content series, exhibits, auctions and experiential events. The partnership began in late 2020 and intends to unpack the uniquely human elements that impact modern creativity.
For more information on the partnership between The Balvenie and Questlove, and to watch the full Quest for Craft series, head over to The Balvenie YouTube channel.