H.E.R.
H.E.R. | |
---|---|
H.E.R. performing in November 2017 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Gabriella Wilson |
Born | June 27, 1997 |
Genres | |
Years active | 2014–present |
Labels | RCA |
Website |
rcarecords |
Gabriella ‘Gabi’ Wilson (born June 27, 1997), better known by her stage name H.E.R. (acronym for "Having Everything Revealed"), is an American singer from Vallejo, California. She signed to RCA Records and has released two extended plays under the label: H.E.R. Volume 1 (2016) and H.E.R. Volume 2 (2017). Her identity was previously unknown as the mystery was a metaphor for herself and she preferred to be represented by music.
Her debut, the seven-song EP H.E.R. Vol. 1, was released on September 9, 2016 by RCA Records. It made iTunes' Best of 2016 R&B/Soul Albums list, with the track "Losing" making the iTunes Best R&B/Soul Singles list. The release also included a cover of Drake's "Jungle".
Background
Addressing the secrecy over her identity, H.E.R. has said: "The mystery is a metaphor for who I am, or who I was at the time of creating the project…I feel like oftentimes we don’t like to be open as people about our emotions or things that we are going through. At the time [of recording], I was very closed off except for when I was writing or when I was in the studio."[1]
She explained further, "I am a voice for women who feel like they're alone in these situations. This project came from an emotion, and that's what I want it to be about – not what I look like or who I'm with, but the raw emotion and support for women."[2] To NPR she added, "I feel like this is the era of the anti-star. I really just wanted it to be about the music, and get away from, 'Who is she with?' and 'What is she wearing?'"[3]
Career
Emerging in late 2016 with her debut EP, H.E.R. Volume 1 (2016), H.E.R. received support from Usher, Tyrese, Pusha T, and Wyclef Jean along with labelmates Alicia Keys and Bryson Tiller helped get the word out through Twitter co-signs, shoutouts, and re-posts.[4][5] In April 2017 Rihanna posted an Instagram clip with H.E.R.'s track "Focus" playing in the background. The clip has been viewed over five million times.[6] Additional public support came from Issa Rae of HBO's Insecure, Taraji P. Henson of Empire, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner. The tracks on H.E.R. Vol. 1 have collectively been streamed over 20 million times on Spotify and over 65 million times across all streaming music providers worldwide.
NPR listed H.E.R. Vol. 1 as the first selection in its "5 Essential R&B Albums You Slept On" roundup.[7] Calling the music "Slow-burning R&B that zooms in on emotional highs and lows," Rolling Stone included H.E.R. in its March 2017 "10 Artists You Need To Know" roundup.[8] And Forbes named her one of "5 Alternative R&B Artists To Look Out For In 2017", reporting: "In the same vein as The Weeknd's enigmatic introduction to the world, H.E.R.'s image remains a mystery. The irony, though, is that her moniker is an acronym for Having Everything Revealed."[9]
Her follow-up EP, H.E.R. Vol. 2 (2017), was released on June 16, 2017 and includes the single "Say It Again".
Her notable live performances include the 2017 BET Experience concerts at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi, Lil Yachty, Rae Sremmurd, Bryson Tiller, and Khalid.
She was recently on tour with Bryson Tiller for the Set It Off tour, and recently concluded her first headlining tour, the Lights On Tour, in support of her most recent effort H.E.R. Vol. 2.[10]
She released H.E.R. Vol. 2, The B Sides (2017) on October 20, 2017 along with the single titled 2, released on October 13, 2017. The music On Vol. 1 was produced by an anonymous person from YouTube who creates video game music and remastered songs from the past.
Wilson announced on the 12th of September 2018 that she will be embarking on the "I Used to Know H.E.R. Tour" in support of her latest EP "I Used to Know H.E.R.: The Prelude"[11], which Wilson has stated is a prelude to her upcoming debut album.[12]
Musical style
Consisting mostly of contemporary R&B ballads, H.E.R's songs have been described as "downcast post-breakup material that sounded vulnerable and assured at once" by Apple Music.[13]
Discography
Compilation albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US [14] |
US R&B /HH [15] |
US R&B [16] | ||
H.E.R.[17] |
|
47 | 24 | 5 |
EPs
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [14] |
US R&B /HH [15] |
US R&B [16] |
US Heat. [18] |
CAN [19] | |||||
H.E.R. Volume 1 |
|
— | 28 | 12 | 8 | — | |||
H.E.R. Volume 2 |
|
49 | 22 | 7 | — | — | |||
H.E.R. Volume 2, The B Sides |
|
139 | — | 19 | — | — | |||
I Used to Know Her: The Prelude |
|
20 | 12 | 1 | — | 89 | |||
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. |
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [21] |
US R&B/HH [22] |
US R&B [23] |
US R&B/HH Airplay [24] |
US Adult R&B [25] |
NZ Hot [26] | ||||
"Something to Prove" | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"Pigment"[27] | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | H.E.R. Volume 1 | |
"Focus" | 2017 | 100 | 45 | 7 | 16 | 1 | — | H.E.R. | |
"2"[28] | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"My Song"[29] | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"This Way" (with Khalid) |
— | — | 20 | — | — | —[upper-alpha 1] | Superfly | ||
"Could've Been"[31] (featuring Bryson Tiller) |
76 | 39 | 6 | — | — | 31 | I Used to Know Her: The Prelude | ||
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. |
As featured artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [21] |
US R&B /HH [22] |
US R&B [23] |
US R&B/HH Airplay [24] |
US Adult R&B [25] | |||||
"Right Now"[32] (Snakehips featuring ELHAE, D.R.A.M and H.E.R.) |
2017 | — | — | — | — | — | data-sort-value="" style="background: #ececec; color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; font-size: smaller; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | non-album single | ||
"Best Part" (Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R.) |
75 | 32 | 5 | 13 | 4 | Freudian | |||
"Mine Luv"[34] (BLVK JVCK featuring H.E.R.) |
— | — | — | — | — | rowspan="3" data-sort-value="" style="background: #ececec; color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; font-size: smaller; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | non-album single | |||
"Go"[35] (Alex Da Kid featuring H.E.R. and Rapsody) |
2018 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Go 2.0"[36] (Alex Da Kid featuring Jorja Smith, H.E.R. and Rapsody) |
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. |
Other charted songs
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B /HH Bub. [37] |
US R&B [23] | ||||||||
"Against Me" | 2018 | 8 | 18 | I Used to Know Her: The Prelude | |||||
"Feel a Way" | — | 20 | |||||||
"As I Am" | — | 21 | |||||||
"Be On My Way (Interlude)" | — | 24 | |||||||
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. |
Guest appearances
Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Don't Cry"[38] | 2018 | Jesper Jenset | Waves Vol. 1 EP |
"Still Down"[39] | None | Dear White People, Season 2 (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) | |
"I Can Feel It"[40] | GoldLink | Uncle Drew (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | |
"Gut Feeling"[41] | Ella Mai | Ella Mai |
Notes
- ↑ "This Way" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart or NZ Hot Singles Chart, but peak at number five on the NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart.[30]
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Soul Train Music Awards | Best New Artist | Herself | Nominated | [42] |
2018 | BET Awards | Best Female R&B/Pop Artist | Nominated | [43] | |
Best New Artist | Nominated |
References
- ↑ Gerrick D. Kennedy, "So who is she? Mysterious R&B singer H.E.R. wants the focus to stay on the music — and the mystery", Los Angeles Times, 21 September 2016 (retrieved 10 May 2017)
- ↑ Rolling Stone, "10 New Artists You Need to Know: March 2017", Rolling Stone, 15 March 2017 (retrieved 9 May 2017)
- ↑ NPR Staff, "Meet H.E.R., A Rising Voice Whose Face Remains A Mystery", NPR, 17 December 2016 (retrieved 9 May 2017)
- ↑ "", iTunes, (retrieved 9 May 2017)
- ↑ Makeda Sandford, "ICYMI: 'H.E.R. Vol 1.' Gives Us a Taste of Mystery R&B Songstress", Saint Heron, 21 September 2016 (retrieved 10 May 2017)
- ↑ Lakin Starling, "H.E.R. On The Surprise Of Hearing Her Song In Rihanna’s Breezy Instagram Video", The Fader, 10 April 2017 (retrieved 10 May 2017)
- ↑ Kiana Fitzgerald/Bobby Carter, "5 Essential R&B Albums You Slept On In 2016", NPR, 17 December 2016 (retrieved 9 May 2017)
- ↑ Rolling Stone, "10 New Artists You Need to Know: March 2017", Rolling Stone, 15 March 2017 (retrieved 9 May 2017)
- ↑ Ogden Payne, "5 Alternative R&B Artists To Look Out For In 2017", Forbes, 9 January 2017 (retrieved 9 May 2017)
- ↑ https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7989234/her-the-lights-on-headlining-tour-dates
- ↑ https://www.rap-up.com/2018/09/12/her-i-used-to-know-her-tour-dates/
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/635296881/h-e-r-prepares-for-debut-album-with-i-used-to-know-her-the-prelude-ep
- ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/h-e-r-vol-2/id1242569954
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart History (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "H.E.R. by H.E.R. on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ↑ "H.E.R. Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "H.E.R. Chart History (Billboard Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ↑ "I Used to Know Her: The Prelude – EP by H.E.R. on iTunes". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart history (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart history (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- 1 2 3 "H.E.R. Chart history (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- 1 2 "H.E.R. Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
- ↑ "NZ Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. August 13, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Pigment - Single by H.E.R. on Apple Music". iTunes. December 23, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "2 - Single by H.E.R. on Apple Music". iTunes. October 13, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "My Song - Single by H.E.R. on Apple Music". iTunes. January 2, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ↑ "Urban/AUC Future Releases | R&B, Hip Hop, Release Schedule and Street Dates". All Access Music Group. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ↑ "Right Now (feat. ELHAE, D.R.A.M. & H.E.R.) - Single by Snakehips on Apple Music". iTunes. June 2, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Daniel Caesar – Best Part". Music Canada. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ↑ "Mine Luv (feat. H.E.R.) - Single by BLVK JVCK on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Go (feat. H.E.R. & Rapsody) - Single by Alex Da Kid on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Go 2.0 (feat. Jorja Smith, H.E.R. & Rapsody) - Single by Alex Da Kid on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "H.E.R. Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ↑ "Waves Vol. 1 - EP by Jesper Jenset on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Dear White People, Season 2 (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) by Various Artists on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Uncle Drew (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Ella Mai by Ella Mai on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Solange, Bruno Mars Lead 2017 Soul Train Awards Nominations". Billboard. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ↑ Amatulli, Jenna (May 16, 2018). "The 2018 BET Awards Nominations Are Here And DJ Khaled Must Be Screaming". HuffPost. Retrieved May 23, 2018.