When H.E.R. helped induct Tina Turner into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, industry veterans ranging from Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie to Carole King and Dave Grohl told her, with certainty, that she would be next.
“That experience was crazy,” she says. “There’s so many artists that I love that came up to me and said, ‘Oh man, you’re going to be a legend one day.’ ”
At just 24 years old, the R&B singer-guitarist is already well on her way. Last month, H.E.R., born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, received eight nominations for the 64th Grammy Awards, including song of the year for “Fight for You” and album of the year for her first official studio LP, “Back of My Mind.”
It might come as a surprise that “Back of My Mind” is technically H.E.R.’s debut album (she herself has pushed back against that characterization in previous interviews), considering it’s her third project to compete for the top Grammys honor. Her eponymous 2017 entry and 2019’s “I Used to Know Her” were both considered compilation albums, combining a series of acclaimed EPs.
“This was a deeper dive,” she says. “‘Back of My Mind’ (is) me saying, ‘This is exactly who I am. This is what I want.’ I’m a lot more sure. And I’m ready to fully submerge myself in that confidence, in that certainty. And that’s just part of life. It’s part of growing up.”
With 21 total career nominations, H.E.R. has quickly established herself as a Grammy (and now Oscar) darling — appealing to voters who value musicianship and social consciousness over mere streaming numbers.
She may not boast as many Hot 100 hits or social media followers as some of her competitors in the general field categories, but she can write songs and play piano, drums, guitar and bass — and that clearly means a lot to her peers.
“She has a very wise soul,” says Brittany “Chi” Coney, one-half of the songwriting and production duo Nova Wav, nominated in the album of the year category with H.E.R. for contributing to “Back of My Mind.” “She knows what she wants. I love how sure she is. And even if she’s not sure, you’ll never know.”
“She’s not afraid to go and try things,” says Coney’s partner, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews. “She’s not afraid to make mistakes. That’s why she is where she is.”
Before she was winning Grammys and performing sold-out shows at iconic venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, H.E.R. grew up in Vallejo, Calif., where her father was a construction worker during the week and a musician on the weekends.
She often watched her dad’s band perform before eventually playing alongside him in the same city that produced the likes of Sly Stone and E-40.
“There’s a lot of legends that come out of Vallejo,” she says. “It really is the foundation of who I am, being from the Bay Area. I’m blessed to have had that sense of community and that love for music in my blood.”
By 14, Gabriella “Gabi” Wilson had already attained child-prodigy status by flexing her musical gifts on morning shows, signing with a major record label and securing mentorship from her role model, Alicia Keys. After releasing her debut single “Something to Prove” in 2014, however, Wilson retreated from the limelight and eventually reemerged as H.E.R.
Since then, she’s been carefully and methodically feeding the public access to her image and past via interviews, awards show appearances, brand deals and, of course, her music.
“When I first started creating, nobody was checking for me,” she says. “There was no anticipation. … I didn’t expect it to go as far as it did.
“Now, I’ve had people with their opinions on what I should make, and other people who didn’t believe in it believing in it now. … I’m working on getting back to myself and making sure that I don’t give into that pressure, ever.”
