A Girl Named H.E.R
...and you have to listen.
A girl named H.E.R dropped an album on Apple Music this week and I'm intrigued. I'm also 98% convinced that I've heard this voice before.
The newsletter showed up in my inbox boasting only a bold image of an album cover featuring a womanly silhouette with long hair over a blue back ground with H.E.R in bold illuminated letters at the top.
From the image alone I was drawn in so I clicked through and listened. The next seven tracks were 27 minutes of mellow, even tempered yet captivating R&B. The album title and the fact that the title is one in the same with the artist's name leave much to the imagination but lyrically the tracks each unclothe themselves revealing the artist's soul. Her deep, bassy tone remains consistent throughout the project urging you to listen without force but rather an alluring gravity that begs you to press repeat.
Track 1 "Losing" puts H.E.R.'s writing and melody skills on the forefront of a heartfelt love letter to someone denying her the requited love she craves.
Track 2 "Wait For It" borrows the piano of the Floetry's "Say Yes" setting the stage for a clever yet beautiful story of imposing patience on a lover while knowing you both want to cross the finish line. Dropping references to her Uber being on the way and her phone being on the charger make the track feel all the more real as listeners may smirk and think back on their own similar escapades.
Track 3 "Facts" quickly caught my ear in the first verse as she utters words that any millennial can recognize as a declaration of genuine romantic interest: "You make me wanna put my phone down, when we're alone I wanna zone out." Cues wedding bells.
Track 4 "U" packs punchy verses that spill out into an unexpected heartfelt hook coloring her frustration with a lover who's extremely selfish or reluctant to commit to just her or both. The hook, an excellent display of her simplistic yet clever writing, also shows us her vocal power.
Track 5 "Focus" pours into your ears with lullaby strings and steady drum taps and a direct call to action as she implores her lover to "focus on me" giving a run down of things she's absolutely fed up while showing reluctance to give up on their love.
Track 6 "Jungle" is her cover of Drake's If You're Reading This It's Too Late track. No lyrical edits. No changes. Just pure vocals and the original beat. The art of this cover is in the anonymity of the voice those words are coming from. From Drake, this all feels a tad contrived. From that unknown girl who could very well be you singing alone in your bedroom, the emotions get real.
Track 7 "Pigment" proves to be the most poignant track on the entire project. The discerning listener will know to press repeat to catch the true messages throughout the project after hearing this song. She croons "The things that I would do to you with just a couple seconds, I would color every moment make it feel like it's forever". She later states "Secretly I'm anxious cuz the thirst never been mutual, it's unusual that someone like you thinks I'm beautiful". This exchange with an admirer also shows us some of her insecurities which, perhaps, explains the anonymous release, maybe?
After a few complete run throughs of this easy to love album I've officially figured out the woman behind the voice. Familiar tones and inflictions remind me of a gorgeous girl I saw on stage at a BET Music Matters showcase a while back. I recall the way she clutched her acoustic guitar, wearing an army green jacket and burgundy beanie as she sang her way into our memories. We haven't forgotten your voice Gabi Wilson and H.E.R. is a perfect introduction of your art to the world.
