This past weekend, I went on a 6-hour road trip to North Carolina. Now I’m sure you know that I can’t go anywhere without music, so of course, I listened to a lot on this trip. Upon searching for the perfect song, a playlist came on Youtube entitled “H.E.R.” I was familiar with this artist’s name because she had been featured on a lot of Daniel Caesar’s, a new age R&B singer, tracks. The album that I first listened to was “H.E.R Volume 1.” This album was released in 2016 and is such a unique R&B/Soul album. H.E.R., formally known as Gabriella Wilson, has such an empowering and mysterious voice that the R&B scene needs desperately.

The first song that I listened to was “Loosing,” which is a song that reminisces on past love. This song is more on the sad side of R&B but is still amazing. The whole album feels like a marriage of the moods between a Drake and Kehlani album. On “Jungle,” she sings about someone she of whom she is in awe. It is easy to tell this song is more of a ballad with lyrics such as, “Rock me real slowly/Put a bib on me/ I’m just like a baby, drooling over you/The things you do.” It is definitely a song that you could relax or fall asleep to, especially when Drake comes in with his smooth voice singing, “Are we still good?” One of my personal favorites is “Focus.” “Focus” is a song in which you feel and embody every part of her plea for a glance her lover never gives her. H.E.R.’s silky voice sings, “Me…Can you focus on me/ Baby, can you focus on me?.” This song honestly is so personal that it makes me feel that I’m in her position. I want so badly for him to give H.E.R. those few moments of attention that she deserves.

I know heartbreak, love, and disappointment, and this album really is something I can relate to. H.E.R. has the ability to make you think you are “her” by the end of the album. You can take your personal experiences and relate them all to her songs. However, there is also a sense of empowerment in her songs. So, if you do get in your feels, you’ll know you’re strong enough to handle anything.