HER Talks Debut Album & Teases New Daniel Caesar Collab

For years, the R&B singer born Gabi Wilson hid her identity, hoping her music would speak for itself. Now, shredding guitar solos onstage ... × Skiptomaincontent H.E.R.photographedonAug.13,2018atWhiteBalanceStudiosinBrooklyn,N.Y. MicaiahCarter Shechoseamysteriousname— H.E.R.,anacronymforHavingEverythingRevealed— andonlyteasedhersilhouetteonthecoversofherrespective2016and2017EPs,H.E.R.Vol. 1andH.E.R.Vol. 2,butthe21-year-oldR&BsingerbornGabiWilsoncouldn’tstayanonymousforlong.Fansfiguredoutherrealnamelastyear,whentheyfoundH.E.R.’scoverofDrake’s“Jungle”ina2015postonWilson’sSoundCloud.InMarch,JanetJacksonravedaboutheronInstagram.AndafterhisAug. 25tourstop,DrakehimselfpostedapicturewithheratMadisonSquareGardeninNewYork. Explore Seelatestvideos,chartsandnews DanielCaesar H.E.R. Seelatestvideos,chartsandnews “Everybodycanbefamousontheinternet,sowhenisitaboutthemusic?”saysWilson,eyesshieldedbehindhertrademarkdarksunglassesaswechatatawood-paneled1960s-styledinerinGlendale,Calif.“Iwantedtomakeitjustaboutthemusic.” Related H.E.R.Stealsthe'Focus'atBETAwards2018&TeamsWithDanielCaesarfor'BestPart' 06/24/2018 Likefellowyoungstars EllaMai and SZA,H.E.R.putsamoody,confessionalspinontraditionalR&B,andithasearnedherspotsopeningfor ChrisBrown and BrysonTiller and,in2018,eightentrieson Billboard’s HotR&BSongs chart.Butshe’sanextrovertonstage,withalow-keystarpowerreminiscentof Miguel andotherdescendantsof Prince.Ifyouhaven’talreadyseenherviralperformanceattheBETAwardsinJune,checkitoutonYouTube:Inthemidstofquietlycommandingthestagesinginghersultryslow-jam“Focus,”shesuddenlystrapsonanelectricguitaranddeliversascorchingsolo,thenbrings DanielCaesar onstagetodueton Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo’s“NothingEven Matters.” H.E.R.photographedonAug.13,2018atWhiteBalanceStudiosinBrooklyn,N.Y. MicaiahCarter “Itwascrazy,”saystheVallejo,Calif.,native,who’snowbasedinBrooklynandalsoplaysbass,drumsandpiano.“Live,IknewIwasgoingtoreallybeabletoshowcasemymusicality.Ididn’twanttorevealthatrightaway.So, itwasashockingthingforpeople.” Inperson,she’sstillreluctant toletherguarddown,though sheletsouttheoccasionalgiggle.Still,whenherfirstfull-lengthalbum, IUsedtoKnowH.E.R.,arrivesinNovember,she’llbefullypreparedtocapitalizeonhernascentfame.Shehasbeenplayingtohugeaudiencessinceage10,when— afterkilling AliciaKeys’“IfIAin’tGotYou”on Today and The View — shewashailedasachildprodigy.Keysbecameamentor,andH.E.R.signedwithRCAat14. H.E.R.photographedonAug.13,2018atWhiteBalanceStudiosinBrooklyn,N.Y. MicaiahCarter Wilsonhaswaitedallthistimetoreleaseafull-lengthinorder toputsomedistancebetween heradultimageandthatkidon TV.Thealbum,shesays,is“anodetomyyoungerselfandfinallycomingintomyown.Everysongisuniqueinawaythat[shows]alldifferentversionsofme.”ShepromisesanothercollaborationwithCaesarandasonginspiredbyherreligiousbeliefs(today,she’swearingaglitterydiamondcrossaroundherneck).“I’mworkingonlivinginthemoment,becauseIusedtobereallybadatthat,”shesays.“I’malwaysthinking10years fromnow.” ThisarticleoriginallyappearedintheSept.15issueofBillboard. Getweeklyrundownsstraighttoyourinbox Subscribe ReadMoreAbout bbprint Trending AshleyParkThoughtSheWasGoingIntoShockOverBTS,ButItWasActually COVID NickJonas&PriyankaChopraWelcomeFirstBabyViaSurrogate:‘WeAreOverjoyed’ MyChemicalRomance&ParamoretoHeadlineWhenWeWereYoung Festival Sold-OutWhenWeWereYoungFestivalAddsSecond Day SilkSonic,Dr.Dre,Maluma,TaylorSwift,CardiB,JohnMayer&MoreoftheWeek’sBiggestWinners(Jan. 21) TheDaily Adailybriefingonwhatmattersinthemusicindustry EmailAddress Subscribe SignUp Bysubscribing,IagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy IconLink PMCLogo BillboardisapartofPenskeMediaCorporation.©2022BillboardMedia,LLC.AllRightsReserved. PoweredbyWordPress.comVIP optionalscreenreader OurSites Artnews BGR Billboard Deadline FairchildMedia FootwearNews GoldDerby IndieWire RobbReport RollingStone SheKnows SheMedia Soaps SourcingJournal Sportico Spy StyleCaster TheHollywoodReporter TVLine Variety Vibe WWD Billboard LOGIN Subscribe Account ManageAccount LogOut Closethemenu Charts Expandchartsmenu Hot100 Billboard200 Global200 ChartBeat BillboardNXT HotTrendingSongs-Real-Time HotTrendingSongs-Weekly SongBreaker Year-EndCharts Decade-EndCharts Music Expandmusicmenu MusicNews Pop R&B/Hip-Hop Latin Rock Awards ChartBeat Concerts Features Reviews Culture Expandculturemenu Events Lifestyle Politics TV/Film Media Expandmediamenu Lists Photos Podcasts Videos Business Expandbusinessmenu BusinessNews Legal Touring Publishing Radio RecordLabels ViewAllPro ProTools Expandpro-toolsmenu Songwriters&Producers SongIndex ArtistIndex BillboardPro GETACCESSTODAY ad