If you haven't listened to one of music's rising stars, Gabi Wilson, better known as H.E.R., do yourself a favor and start — seriously. The 21-year-old San Francisco native has been on the scene for a few years but has started to gain more recognition recently. Currently, she's up for five Grammy awards [1]: best new artist, best R&B performance for her collaboration with Daniel Caesar in "Best Part," best R&B song for "Focus," and best R&B album, as well as album of the year for her self-titled 2017 EP, H.E.R.
Earning five Grammy nominations is impressive enough, but to achieve an honor like that at such a young age is a testament to H.E.R.'s talent [2]. The first song I heard from her was "Best Part" with Daniel Caesar, and I remember feeling a sense of peace. Their soft and sweet voices complemented each other well, and from that moment on, I was hooked on H.E.R.
To be perfectly honest, I personally don't have a ton of experience with relationships. But listening to H.E.R. sing about her ups and downs so soulfully makes me feel as if I'm right there with her [3]. She has me singing about how much I love my imaginary boyfriend in one song, then crooning about how the dude I didn't meet at the club I never went to did me wrong [4]. But that's the effect H.E.R. has on listeners — you feel like you're just hanging out with your friend and venting about life [5] together. And if you don't believe me, just take a listen to some of her best songs ahead.
"Free"
H.E.R. finds it hard to get rid of feelings for a guy who only wants her around when it's convenient for him in this track from her 2017 album H.E.R.. But it's hard to give a relationship everything you've got when the effort is one-sided.
"Say It Again"
H.E.R. passionately sings of her sexual experiences with a partner and their bedroom excursions in 2017's H.E.R. Vol. 2.
"Best Part" feat. Daniel Caesar
Honestly, play this at my wedding. Caesar and H.E.R. team up for this heartwarming love song that will fill you with so much warmth. In October, this tune — featured in the album H.E.R. — hit No. 1 on the Adult R&B Songs chart [7] and is in the running for best R&B performance at the 2019 Grammys.
"As I Am"
Offering another sweet jam, H.E.R. expresses her expectations of a happy future with her significant other in this number from one of her 2018 EPs I Used to Know Her: The Prelude.
"This Way" feat. Khalid
H.E.R. and Khalid lend their vocals to the soundtrack for the film Superfly as they portray two partners experiencing tensions in their relationship.
"Fate"
If you've ever felt like you really want to make a relationship work even though something isn't clicking, you'll totally get how H.E.R. feels in I Used to Know Her — Part 2's "Fate."
"Losing"
In "Losing" from 2016's H.E.R. Volume 1, the young singer just wants to know where she and her significant other stand. Is the feeling of love mutual or are they just playing games with each other?
"Focus"
H.E.R. yearns for her love's attention in 2017's H.E.R.. This track — featured in an Instagram post [8] from Rihanna [9] — earned No. 1 [10] on the Adult R&B Songs chart in October, just weeks before H.E.R. and Daniel Casear's "Best Part" also earned the top slot.
"Lost Souls"
This melody from I Used to Know Her: The Prelude pays tribute to Lauryn Hill's 1998 classic, "Lost Ones" as H.E.R. talks about the feminism, materialism, and the price of fame.
"Could've Been" feat. Bryson Tiller
H.E.R. and Tiller embody two hopeless romantics who go back and forth between trying to make things work and remaining single after a breakup in I Used to Know Her: The Prelude's fourth song.
"Against Me"
It's not always easy leaving a toxic relationship. In "Against Me" from I Used to Know Her: The Prelude, H.E.R. criticizes herself for staying with someone who constantly hurts her. Still, she can't seem to break away from the culprit, even though her trust has yet to be restored.