"H.E.R.," born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, isn't the first singer to hide her face. The "Chandelier" singer Sia famously uses wigs to conceal her face to protect her anonymity and privacy. She also likes to add some mystery to her performances. Identity and persona mean everything in the celebrity world. How a star chooses to identify themselves shapes their careers forever and how people choose to see them.
For example, some stars like Lil' Kim decided to make hip-hop sexier with her risqué clothing. Miley Cyrus also chose to take risks to break away from her good-girl Disney ways. Other celebrities, like H.E.R., prefer to be more demure. With four Grammys and a lot of artists supporting H.E.R. over the years, it's clear that sometimes less is more. H.E.R. famously performs in sunshades and often dark clothing. In her earlier performances, she didn't show her face at all, but why? Let's examine why the "Focus" singer didn't always show her face and nine other facts about her.
10 She Hid Her Face To Let Her Music Speak For Itself
Some stars do not want to be a celebrity. They would prefer their talent to speak for themselves, and that is the way H.E.R. felt when she re-emerged in 2016. She didn't want anyone to question who she was dating or "focus" too much on her clothing. She did not want anything that involved superficiality associated with her identity. According to NPR, she showed up on the cover of her debut E.P. "H.E.R. Volume 1" in a darkened silhouette because she felt as if that was "the era of the anti-star."
9 H.E.R. Stands For "Having Everything Revealed"
Ironically, while fans couldn't see H.E.R.'s face for a long time, her stage name sounds for "having everything revealed." H.E.R. has always shared that her music is personal and covers how she has evolved as a woman. Besides reading this list, if you want to know a lot about H.E.R., the best thing that you can do is listen to her music because it pours out all of her emotions and shows who she genuinely is as a person.
8 She Released Music Under Her Real Name
At 14, H.E.R. had a record deal with Sony's RCA Records via J Records. The name of her debut single was "Something to Prove." which came out in 2014. H.E.R. According to Chicago Tribune, H.E.R. has always considered her career a "slow build" and has never considered her so-called new identity as the shades-wearing mystery woman with the highly praised E.P.'s a "reset" or "re-brand." H.E.R.'s success did not come overnight, and she expressed that she takes time to release music, ensuring that each song is perfect in her eyes.
7 She Got Her Big Break On Radio Disney's 'Next Big Thing'
Before releasing her debut album, H.E.R. competed on Radio Disney's Next Big Thing at 12. Her song "My Music." got a feature on Radio Disney. This scenario isn't the only time H.E.R. was in the spotlight as a child. At nine, she also made her acting debut on the Nickelodeon TV film School Gyrls.
6 People Compare Her to Alicia Keys
When people hear H.E.R.'s music, they often compare her vocal stylings to that of Alicia Keys. She, like Keys, can also play the piano. In 2007, when she was ten years old, she performed a cover of Keys' "If I Aint Got You" on The Today Show. At the 2010 BET Awards, H.E.R. also performed another cover of Key's songs called "Fallin'." She considers Keys as one of her influences.
5 She Plays Five Instruments
When he was 10, her father, Kenny Wilson, worked as an ironworker for 17 years. Music was his hobby. He had a band and discovered that his daughter could sing along, and she became a child prodigy. She released a poetry book and learned how to play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, piano, and drums. In her 24 years of living, it's safe to say that H.E.R. has accomplished quite a lot.
4 She's a Biracial Californian
H.E.R. was born and grew up in Vallejo, California. Her father is Black, and her mother Agnes is Filipina. H.E.R. has opened up about struggles with her identity, sometimes feeling "too Filipina" or "too Black." However, she learned to define her identity in a way that made sense to her. She discussed that her mother listened to many ballads, particularly Whitney Houston's music, and her father listened to a lot of Prince. Her parents lived in the same apartment complex, across the hall from each other, and her mother offered to cook food for her father.
3 Many Stars Have Supported H.E.R.
Through Twitter co-signs, shout outs, and re-posts, H.E.R.'s label mates Bryson Tiller and Keys were able to hip people to H.E.R. Also, in 2017, Rihanna posted an IG clip with "Focus" playing in the background resulting in over 5 Million views. Actresses such as Issa Rae and Taraji P. Henson have supported her, among other industry support.
2 She Won An Oscar
H.E.R. won an Oscar for Original Best Song at the 93rd Academy Awards. The song that won the award was "Fight for You," a part of the Judas and the Black Messiah soundtrack. Later in her career, if she's fortunate enough, she may join the list of only 16 people who have EGOTS.
1 Her Debut Album Only Came Out In 2021
H.E.R. has put out around 23 singles, but her debut album "Back Of My Mind" finally came out on June 18th, 2021. When H.E.R. mentioned her career being a "slow build," she was 100% transparent in that regard. H.E.R. has put out 5 EPs and two compilation albums. H.E.R. has managed to garner so much buzz that it's easy to assume that her debut album has been out for years. She titled the album "Back Of My Mind" because that's the message in her music. The thoughts that appear in the back of her mind are the focus of her music.
Next: Why Prince Would Have Taken H.E.R. On As His Next Protégé
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