Slow growth defines H.E.R.’S young career arc
When she first emerged on the national scene, in 2016, H.E.R. received outsize attention not simply because of her stunning voice — a feathery and lithe instrument that landed her a major-label recording contact at age 14 and was the result of years spent closely studying her musical idols including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys — but more notably because she almost entirely concealed her identity.
At the time “H.E.R., Volume 1,” her debut EP, was released that year, the enigmatic singer did virtually zero press and did not release official press photos. It was her hope, she has since said, that in taking this mysterious route her music could do the talking.
These days, the 22-yearold singer, born Gabi Wilson and whose stage name ironically stands for “Having Everything Revealed,” still typically wears sunglasses at all times, and she didn’t even have her legal name listed in the credits for her five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year.
But thanks to major headlining tours, a supporting gig for Childish Gambino, critically acclaimed releases and a performance at this year’s Grammys — not to mention taking home a pair of awards, including Best R&B Album for her eponymous 2017 compilation LP — she has had no choice but to lean in to her growing fame.
“I’ve been feeling it more and more lately,” said the singer, whose music balances vulnerability with assertiveness.
“At first, everything was surreal and kind of like a dream,” she said of the early days of her career. “But after the Grammys I get recognized more — even without my glasses on. And people are constantly Dm’ing me on social media, hearing my songs on the radio. I mean, even flight attendants are recognizing me!”
It’s all in due time for H.E.R. The slow and steady career growth over the past three years, Wilson said, has not only been purposeful but also cherished.
Despite acknowledging that contemporary listeners have short attention spans, “I don’t like to rush things,” she said of her slow-drip release model. “I’d rather have quality over quantity. It’s about perfecting each song and making sure it’s what you want to do. And then even with what I share, it’s all very strategic.”
That is also true of her evolution as an artist. The daughter of a Filipino mother who turned her on to karaoke at a young age and who learned to play the drums, guitar, keyboards and bass thanks to her father’s cover band rehearsing in the family’s Vallejo, California, home, H.E.R. signed a record deal with RCA at age 14. Soon after, she released an under-the-radar EP under her birth name.
Looking back, she said even as she navigated the challenges of the music industry, she kept her head down knowing her making music was not about achieving some sort of instant recognition but rather pursuing a lifelong passion.
“It was always passion over everything,” Wilson said.
Even after she changed her stage name to H.E.R., in 2016, and subsequently released a pair of lauded EPS in successive years, the singer said she was still biding her time until her true artistic identity revealed itself.
“It was never a reset or a re-brand,” she said of the name change. “It was a slow build. Everything was a transition.
“It was all part of the process,” she added. “It was all supposed to happen this way. I was just going through those changes as a young woman. The people who don’t know me or my journey say ‘This all happened so fast!’ Not really. The years that were put in are the reason everything seems to be happening quickly now.”
That includes a major fashion partnership with Uggs and H.E.R. curating and performing at her own Lights On Festival this September in Concord, California, where she will be joined by fellow contemporary R&B standouts including Jhene Aiko, Daniel Caesar and Ari Lennox.
H.E.R. admits the recent success has her looking back at some of her earliest live performances and marveling at her journey.
“I look back at videos and am like, ‘Wow, we’ve come such a long way!’” she said with a laugh. “Me and my band, especially. Just our chemistry onstage and how comfortable I am now. Even my ability to just speak to the audience. But I’m still so hard on myself as far as my live show. I’m a perfectionist and I want everything to be amazing every single show.”