The Internet may have unearthed H.E.R.‘s identity — she’s Gabriella Wilson, who performed on Maury as a 10-year-old — but she likes keeping her identity under wraps. She’d rather let her music take center stage, which makes any time she actually takes the stage a major event. So we were pumped to find out she’d be performing at the BET Awards, and the young artist didn’t disappoint. She may be fresher on the scene compared to some of the show’s other performers like J. Cole and Nicki Minaj, but she absolutely blew the audience away when she sang her hit song “Focus.”
In fact, many were saying that the young artist saved a boring year of BET Awards, bringing some life back to the show. She’s got such a great stage presence and sounds as good live as she does on the radio. Plus, having fellow newcomer Daniel Caesar on the stage with her for a quick “Nothing Even Matters” collab sure didn’t hurt. But it’s not a surprise that she stole the show. H.E.R. has been very popular since first releasing Vol. 1 in 2016 — not just with R&B fans, but with mega R&B stars, as well. Alicia Keys and Wyclef Jean have been very vocal about their love for her in the past, and Bryson Tiller even had her join him on his “Set It Off” tour last year.
Since H.E.R. usually performs in sunglasses and a hoodie whether she’s touring or at the 2017 BET Experience, we were all wondering if she’d do the same for these awards, and guess what? She did the damn thing! H.E.R. showed up in a blue sweatshirt and black shades, and TBH, we love her even more for that.
https://twitter.com/BETAwards/status/1011064070445731841
We wished she’d reveal a bit more about herself though because we are so freaking curious. All we really know about H.E.R. is that she went on a Lights On Tour recently to promote Vol. 2, she grew up in Vallejo, California and she’s signed to RCA Records.
Well, that and the fact that she’s talented AF and deserved her Best New Artist nom. Take a listen!