H.E.R.

1.1. Birth and family background

Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson was born on June 27, 1997, in Vallejo, California. She was raised in California's San Francisco Bay Area by her Filipino mother and Black father.

1.2. Early musical influences

Wilson's exposure to music began early, largely due to her family environment. Her father, a musician, regularly hosted his cover band's practice sessions in the family's living room, providing a constant musical backdrop. Additionally, her mother's extended family included guitarists, drummers, bassists, and vocalists who frequently performed at karaoke events. Wilson has cited these early experiences as fundamental to her musical development and interest. She also grew up listening to Filipino ballad singers, which further shaped her musical sensibilities.

2.1. Early career as Gabi Wilson (2007-2016)

Performing as Gabi Wilson from a young age, she made notable appearances, including playing an Alicia Keys song on the piano for the Today Show at age ten. On September 23, 2007, she performed at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City, where she covered Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love". At age nine, Wilson made her acting debut in the Nickelodeon television film School Gyrls, which was created by Nick Cannon. She also appeared on talk shows such as Maury in 2007, and both Good Morning America and The View in 2008. During this period, her career was managed by Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment. At age twelve, she performed at the 2010 BET Awards, covering Keys' 2001 hit "Fallin'", and sang a tribute to Keys at the ASCAP Awards. She also competed on Radio Disney's The Next BIG Thing at age twelve, with her song "My Music" being featured on Radio Disney.

In 2011, at the age of 14, Wilson signed a record deal with Sony's RCA Records through J Records, a deal facilitated by her manager Jeff Robinson's MBK Entertainment. Her debut single, "Something to Prove," was released in 2014 under her birth name.

2.2. Rebranding as H.E.R. and breakthrough (2016-2019)

In late 2016, Wilson rebranded herself with the new stage name H.E.R., an acronym for "Having Everything Revealed." She released her debut extended play (EP), H.E.R. Vol. 1, on September 9, 2016, which was produced by songwriter David "Swagg R'Celious" Harris. The EP quickly gained significant support from established artists such as Usher, Tyrese, Pusha T, and Wyclef Jean. Her labelmates Alicia Keys and Bryson Tiller further amplified her reach through social media co-signs, shoutouts, and re-posts on Twitter. In April 2017, Rihanna posted an Instagram clip featuring H.E.R.'s track "Focus" playing in the background, which garnered over 5 M views and significantly boosted her visibility. Additional industry support came from figures like Issa Rae of HBO's Insecure, Taraji P. Henson of Empire, Kylie Jenner, and Kendall Jenner.

NPR recognized H.E.R. Vol. 1 as the top selection in its "5 Essential R&B Albums You Slept On" list. Rolling Stone described her music as "Slow-burning R&B that zooms in on emotional highs and lows," including H.E.R. in their March 2017 "10 Artists You Need To Know" roundup. Forbes named her one of "5 Alternative R&B Artists to Look Out for in 2017," noting the irony of her moniker: "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."

2.3. Album releases

H.E.R.'s discography includes a series of critically acclaimed EPs and compilation albums, leading up to her debut studio album.

2.4. Notable singles and collaborations

H.E.R. has released several impactful singles and engaged in significant collaborations throughout her career. Her collaboration with Daniel Caesar on "Best Part" earned her a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance. In 2021, her George Floyd protest-inspired single "I Can't Breathe" won her third Grammy Award for Song of the Year. That same year, her song "Fight for You", written for the film Judas and the Black Messiah, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and later a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Her single "Damage" topped the US R&B radio chart in June 2021. She also collaborated with Tauren Wells on the song "Hold Us Together." On November 30, 2021, the Apple Music Awards recognized H.E.R. as the winner of Songwriter of the Year. On February 11, 2024, she joined Usher's performance at Super Bowl LVIII, playing electric guitar during "U Got It Bad" and "Bad Girl." On February 13, 2024, H.E.R. announced a new management deal with Lighthouse Management + Media, whose founder Aleen Keshishian also represents singers Olivia Rodrigo and Selena Gomez. This move followed legal disputes with her previous management, MBK Entertainment, which included Wilson filing a lawsuit to be released from the MBK label.

3.1. Musical characteristics

H.E.R.'s songs primarily consist of contemporary R&B ballads, often described as "downcast post-breakup material that sounded vulnerable and assured at once." Her lyrical themes frequently delve into deep emotions and personal experiences, fostering a sense of connection with her audience. A distinctive aspect of her artistic expression is the intentional mystery surrounding her identity. She has explained this as a metaphor for her own emotional guardedness during the creative process, stating, "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." She aimed for the focus to remain on the music and the raw emotion, rather than her appearance or personal life, embracing what she called "the era of the anti-star." She sees herself as a voice for women who feel isolated in similar situations.

3.2. Influences

H.E.R.'s musical style is shaped by a diverse range of influences. She has cited her father's involvement in a cover band and the musical talents of her mother's extended family as early inspirations. She grew up listening to Filipino ballad singers such as Sharon Cuneta and Jay R, which contributed to her vocal and songwriting approach. Additionally, H.E.R. has openly credited the iconic musician Prince as one of her most significant influences, drawing inspiration from his artistry in her own work.

4.1. Film

H.E.R. made her acting debut at the age of 9 in the 2009 Nickelodeon television film School Gyrls. In 2017, she starred as the titular character in the short film Erma. She made a cameo appearance as herself in the 2021 film Yes Day. Her big-screen acting debut was in the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple, where she played the role of Mary "Squeak" Agnes.

4.2. Television

H.E.R. appeared on various television programs early in her career, including the Today Show and Maury in 2007, and Good Morning America and The View in 2008. In 2021, she performed her original song "Change" on the "Active Citizenship" episode of the Netflix educational animated series We the People, for which she later won a Children's and Family Emmy Award for her contributions to Barack and Michelle Obama's animated children's series. On July 20, 2022, it was announced that H.E.R. would sing the role of Belle for ABC's Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, which aired on December 15, 2022. She also lent her voice to animated series, voicing T.Rex in the "Blue's Dino Clues" episode of Blue's Clues & You! and Aliah in "The Plight Before Christmas" episode of Bob's Burgers, both in 2022. On October 28, 2023, she made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing "The Glass" with Foo Fighters. She sang the National Anthem at Game 1 of the 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. On August 11, 2024, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, as part of the handover ceremony from Paris to Los Angeles.

5.1. Headlining tours

• Lights on Tour (2017)
• I Used to Know Her Tour (2018)
• Back of My Mind Tour (2021)

5.2. Supporting tours

• Bryson Tiller - Set It Off Tour (2017)
• Chris Brown - Heartbreak on a Full Moon Tour (2018)
• Childish Gambino - This Is America Tour (2019)
• Coldplay - Music of the Spheres World Tour (2022)

6.1. Grammy Awards

H.E.R. has been a consistent presence at the Grammy Awards, earning multiple wins and nominations. Her self-titled compilation album, H.E.R., received five nominations at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, winning for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance for the single "Best Part" (with Daniel Caesar). It was also nominated for Album of the Year and Best New Artist. Her second compilation album, I Used to Know Her, received five nominations at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year for its single "Hard Place". In 2021, she won her third Grammy Award for Song of the Year with her George Floyd protest-inspired single "I Can't Breathe." The following year, her song "Fight for You" won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

6.2. Academy Awards and Emmy Awards

H.E.R. has also achieved recognition in film and television. Her song "Fight for You", released for the film Judas and the Black Messiah, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2021. In 2022, she won a Children's and Family Emmy Award for her contributions to Barack and Michelle Obama's animated children's series, We the People.

6.3. Other major awards

In addition to her Grammy and Academy Award successes, H.E.R. has received other significant accolades. She has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and three American Music Awards. She has also received four nominations at the Billboard Music Awards. In 2021, she was recognized as the Songwriter of the Year at the Apple Music Awards.