H.E.R.’s Big Grammy Night Made Her A Bigger Star
R&B singer H.E.R. had a huge night at the 2019 Grammys.
H.E.R., whose real name is Gabriella Wilson, was not a name familiar to most Americans when her name was announced as one of the nominees for the Album Of The Year GRAMMY a few weeks ago. Last night, that changed, even though she didn’t win in that category.
The 21-year-old, who has been signed to RCA since she was 14-years-old, dropped her first EP, H.E.R. Volume 1 in 2016.
On the cover of the EP you can only see a silhouette of the artist who plays several instruments, including the guitar.
Wilson’s ascent began when she participated in Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing in 2009, soon after that, she landed a deal with RCA.
In 2014, the singer dropped her single “Something to Prove” under her shortened name Gabi Wilson, but it fell flat.
After H.E.R. Volume 1 was released, H.E.R.’s popularity slowly picked up steam on the underground circuit, but Wilson shied away from revealing who she was. She would only share photos of herself on social media that didn’t fully reveal her face.
It was her 2017 Lights On Tour and Set It Off Tour with Bryson Tiller that allowed new fans and curious prospective fans to be able to identify the singer who was once deemed a “child prodigy”.
Those tours along with her 2018 I Used To Know Her Tour helped catapult the singer to mainstream fame.
Although Wilson began garnering a solid following, the Grammys opened her up to new listeners, and her two new Grammys solidified her as a key contender in mainstream R&B. During the pre-telecast portion of the award ceremony, Wilson won Best R&B Performance for her song “Best Part,” which features Daniel Caesar, who accepted the award for her.
Later on, during the televised segment of “Music’s Biggest Night,” she graced the stage at the 61st Grammys wearing a lilac shimmery stoned two-piece pants outfit complemented by her signature round reflective sunglasses to sing her song “Hard Place” while also showing off her considerable guitar skills.
“I dreamed of this, but I didn’t think it was going to happen so soon. Two years ago I released my first project H.E.R., and for it to be nominated for so many awards. It was very unexpected,” she said during an interview backstage. “And it’s just telling, so I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. And I’m just so grateful.”
Wilson may never reveal her eyes, but expect to see a lot more of H.E.R. this year.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 10: H.E.R. poses in the press room during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
