Dec. 12, 2018 | Bobby Carter — It’s been said that you only get one chance to make a first impression. In H.E.R.’s case, you get two. She stunned us as a special guest for Daniel Ceasar’s Tiny Desk concert earlier this year, in an appearance that showcased her vocal mastery. That earned her an invite to play again, front-and-center. She attacked her second go ’round with more fervor than the first, highlighting her skills as a multi-instrumentalist, maneuvering between acoustic and electric guitars, then the Fender Rhodes.
While H.E.R. stands for “Having Everything Revealed,” she’s an artist who’s built her reputation on a certain degree of anonymity. The cover art for her debut, 2016 EP, H.E.R. Volume 1, shows a woman’s silhouette over a blue backdrop. Her visuals never provide the audience a clear shot of her face and her signature accessory for every outfit is a pair of large, dark sunglasses.
As fans collectively squinted to get a better view, she delivered more projects. Another EP, H.E.R. Vol 2, came in 2017, followed months later by H.E.R. which combined songs from both volumes with a handful of new songs. The latter earned her five nominations for 2019’s Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year and Best New Artist Of The Year. She was born Gabriella Wilson to a Filipino mother and Black father. She first attracted the spotlight as a child prodigy, eventually signing a record contract when she was 14-years old. At 21, she’s yet to release her debut LP.
There were two standout moments during her Tiny Desk set. One came at the midway point of her biggest hit so far, “Focus.” When the instruments dropped out and background vocalists Ajanee Hambrick and Malik Spence chimed in with their lush harmonies, the audience melted. The second came when her focus was interrupted by a charming and sincere expression of gratitude for the Tiny Desk platform. For a split second it appears as though she’s about to remove those sunglasses. “Not saying that I’m your favorite artist, but maybe me being here today says a lot.”
Set List
“Going” (Interlude)
“Feel A Way”
“Hard Place”
“Focus”
Credits
Producers: Bobby Carter, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kaylee Domzalski, Maia Stern, Bronson Arcuri; Editor: Kaylee Domzalski; Production Assistant: Brie Martin; Photo: Cameron Pollack/NPR
0:00 Introduction
0:22 H.E.R. Going (Interlude)
2:54 H.E.R. Feel a Way
6:53 H.E.R. Hard Place
12:32 H.E.R. Focus
NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts is a popular video series featuring live, intimate music performances by diverse artists, from major stars to up-and-coming musicians, recorded in the small workspace of Bob Boilen’s NPR office in Washington, D.C.brought to you by SloppBoxx.Com.
cada vez que lo pongo lo escucho tres veces seguidas al menos.. 7 años después..
They knew they hit that at 14:25
No hat no band
I keep finding myself addicted to coming back to this video because it is truly her best live performance. This was the first time I ever listened to her, and it set the bar so high. There’s something about this small, intimate setting that puts it a class above everything else. You can hear every soul-stirring note from HER and every detail from the band so clearly. Absolute perfection
I could focus on H.E.R if I was blind
Todo dia venho aqui.
Dope!!
H.E.R is amazing 🫡💪🥰
I keep playing this tiny desk. Because also the musicians, especially that piano player, theyre all amazing!