Over the weekend, the NAACP Image Awards kicked off in L.A., celebrating the creative works of people of color and honoring achievements in film, tv, and literature from the African American perspective.
Hosted by black-ish star Anthony Anderson, the ceremony also highlighted the biggest names in music, from Lizzo, who was named entertainer of the year, to Rihanna, who earned the President’s Award for her philanthropy.
In fact, during her powerful speech, where she called on allies of other races to stand in solidarity with their black counterparts, she also thanked the longstanding organization for celebrating the “strength and tenacity” of people of color, who have been “denied opportunities since the beginning of time.”,
Prior to the ceremony, Baller Alert caught up with H.E.R, who expressed a similar sentiment about unity, instead focusing on her music.
“It is pretty crazy,” H.E.R said of her widespread demographic. “That’s the goal. To be for everyday, to make everybody feel something.”
“Funny enough, I did this music festival in Vegas, and there were two days; the first day was a lot more R&B artists, the second day was like Beck and a bunch of rock bands…And I was kinda bummed, I was like ‘oh man, they put me on the second day,’” she said. “That was just me underestimating myself, cause when I got to the show the next day, everybody was singing the words to my songs.”
“I make music for everyone,” she added. “My music can touch people all around the world, all different demos, and that, to me, is very special.”
When asked what she learned from this teaching moment, she said, “I think the important thing for was for me not overthink it.”
“It was more so like stay true to what you’re doing because you’re touching people,” H.E.R said.
