The super-talented H.E.R. has been taking the music industry by storm since dropping her first EP, H.E.R. Vol, 1 in 2016. Back then, she kept her identity a mystery to keep the ‘focus’ (pun-intended) solely on the music. Today, totally revealed — it’s no doubt that her talent speaks for itself.
Just off the heels of dropping her first studio album, Back of My Mind, we caught up with H.E.R. to discuss the new album and previous EP’s, her identity, recent accolades, upcoming projects, her dream collab and much more.
When you dropped your first project 6 year or so ago, there was a sort of mystery to you, you kept your identity anonymous, often hiding behind dark sunglasses. We even saw these themes in your earlier music videos, like in Avenue, where you’d be driving around and we’d only see a side profile of you in sunglasses. Fast forward to now – although the sunglasses haven’t completely gone away, we are seeing more of you, we know who you are — do you think it was difficult to maintain that mystery now that you are more amplified in the spotlight? Or did you know it would eventually happen?
Well, I see it as this — in the beginning, the mystery and the hiding behind shadows and side profiles and sunglasses was really about just wanting people to focus on the music. I really wanted my music and message to be the forefront and to be the thing that people focus on. So I knew eventually if I did that, then I would absolutely organically show more of myself. And people would get to know me more and see me more. It wasn’t a matter of wanting to stay in the shadows.
Okay, you just dropped your first official studio album BACK OF MY MIND — even though you’ve been putting out hit after hit for years now, how did you know this project would be the ONE? What was your thought process on that?
I felt like I had basically released four or five EPs and then combined them. And it just felt like ok now I can officially work towards [an album]. After everything I accomplished, tours and everything — I finally took the time to really work towards an album. I had been touring since 2017, one year after Vol. 1 dropped, so I never took that time to really dig into an album, and of course I always wanted to, so this time it was really like, alright, I’m gonna make a full body of work that represents everything, not just a specific time or a cohesive sound. Now people have seen me play guitar, people understand me a little more as an artist, now I can make a full body of work and people would ‘get it.’
How long were you working on this project? What was the process like finalizing your album during the pandemic?
Working on this project, its been like over the past two years — the meat of it, but there were certain songs that I had never release that I wrote in 2017 and 2018 that I felt were perfect for this album so I decided to put them on there. It’s been a work in progress. It definitely was a hard thing to get it finalized, finished, mixed, mastered. I really wanted it to be special.
Recently it was revealed that you were almost in a band with Kehlani and Zendaya. Is there any truth to that? What’s the story behind that?
It wasn’t a girlband. Me and this guy Dylan Wiggins, we had a band and performed together when we were like six or seven years old. [Dylan] grew up with Kehlani and Kehlani ended up in the band — and we were called Pop Life. It was me and Kehlani basically the lead singers and I use to play bass. We would sing Jazmine Sullivan and Prince songs. I think at one point Zendaya was coming to our rehearsals and she was going to be in the band, and then it didn’t work out or something. We’re all just Bay kids. We’re all doing our things but at one point we were all just kids and our parents just wanted us to be in a group together.
Now, 2021 has already been a year of accolades for you — You won 2 Grammy awards and an Academy Award, and now you’re up for two BET AWARDS — Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Song Award for ‘Hold Us Together.’ How does being nominated here differ from the others?
BET Awards, it’s a stage for us. Where we celebrate us. And this year we’re celebrating black women, it’s the year of the black woman which is extra special. BET has always celebrated us. I know just from personal experience. They have always supported me and my career since the very beginning. This year the BET Awards lands on my birthday and 11 years ago it was on my birthday and I introduced Alicia [Keys] and sang a minute of Fallin’ on the stage so its like a full circle moment for me. BET has always supported young black talent, amazing black talent. It’s a platform that’s for us, that celebrates us. It’s just special to know no matter where I go, I can always come back and know that I have a foundation of my own community and people that are going to love me and support me no matter what I do.
In 2019, you made history and became the first woman to own and curate a music festival —, the Lights On Festival. Will the festival be seeing a comeback soon?
Oh, its coming back this year! I don’t want to give away too much. It was huge success in 2019, I didn’t expect it — I felt like I threw the coolest party ever. We’re going to bring it back, its gonna be amazing, it’s gonna be so much dope talent and some familiar artists. It’s gonna be a celebration of R&B.
Favorite song to perform?
I know its gonna change ’cause I’m ready to perform this new album, but I think Best Part might be my favorite song to perform. That’s when I see all the couples get closer and everybody’s singing along. It’s just a sweet moment, everyone kinda melts when they hear that song.
I noticed ‘Do to Me’ wasn’t on the album…
And that’s because I’m releasing a reggae project. It’s coming soon.
Who is your dream collaborator, dead or alive?
Of course, Prince would have been my dream collab. I really wish I could have gotten to work with him. I got to see him live. But I think, the person, I know we would make something really really amazing is Drake. Literally, there would be no Vol. 1 without Drake so I think would create something really incredible.
When did you know you made it?
That’s a good question. I still be feeling like ‘wow, am I really here?’ An Oscar would solidify and a Grammy definitely solidifies, but I don’t know, it’s like when people around you start acting different, and they start being like ‘I saw you here, I saw you there.’ When your own family starts getting nervous around you and start acting star struck, and they be actin’ different, that’s when I know.
Favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
Work! Nah, I’m just kidding. I really love spending time with my family. I have a little sister — when I’m with her, she really grounds me so much. I love being in nature, Really, anything with my family.
If you weren’t a musician what would you be doing for a living?
I would probably be in the medical field. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else, but you know I have an Asian mother. When you have an Asian mom they expect you to go to college and be like a nurse or doctor. At one point in high school, she’s like you should be a pharmacist, and I’m like okay yeah. She’s like, they make $200,000 a year, you’d be great. That didn’t work out.
Check out the full interview below:
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