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H.E.R.: 4GEMZ ๐Ÿ’Ž No. 2 (2021) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner, Calvin Chai, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pixabay,RCA, Unsplash]On the 2nd edition of 4GEMZ ๐Ÿ’Ž, we select four must-hear, surefire gems from Academy award and Grammy award winning musician, H.E.R.  

Welcome to 4GEMZ ๐Ÿ’Ž, a miniature playlist comprised of โ€“ you guessed it โ€“ four songs! How is 4GEMZ like other miniature lists on The Musical Hype? Each song featured on the list gets a short blurb. How does it differ from our other miniature lists? Rather than being based around a theme, topic, or word, itโ€™s based on a musician or band.  The songs can span the respective musician/bandโ€™s entire discography, or all four songs can appear from the same project, hence, the โ€˜gems.โ€™ On the 2nd edition of 4GEMZ, we select four must-hear, surefire gems from ๐Ÿ† Academy award and Grammy award winning musician, ๐ŸŽ™H.E.R..

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1. H.E.R., โ€œHard Placeโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ I Used to Know Her โ€ข ๐Ÿท RCA โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2019

H.E.R., I Used to Know Her [๐Ÿ“ท : RCA]โ€œWhat if nothing ever will change? / Oh, Iโ€™m caught between your love and a hard place.โ€ Indeed H.E.R. (Gabriella Wilson), Indeed.  ๐ŸŽต โ€œHard Placeโ€ appears as the 17th track on ๐Ÿ’ฟ I Used to Know Her, the second compilation album by the highly decorated, ๐Ÿ† award-winning musician. On โ€œHard Place,โ€ Wilson finds herself in a tough situation where that pesky thing, better known as love, has her โ€œin a hard place,โ€ to be honest.

Wilson, essentially, is letting her heart dictate. Perhaps, she should use her head and make an even tougher decision.  She clearly loves the guy she sings about, but heโ€™s flawed to the nth degree.  โ€œYou know that you be dead wrong,โ€ she sings, adding, โ€œTell me to relax when Iโ€™m reacting.โ€ Later, sheโ€™s all-in: โ€œAnd even when you cause tears / Youโ€™re the one who wiped them away / Maybe thatโ€™s the reason I stay, stay.โ€ Seems like an imperfect, situation, but at least the listener benefits musically from Wilsonโ€™s love pains on this ๐Ÿ† Grammy-nominated juggernaut from her discography.

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2. H.E.R., โ€œFateโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ I Used to Know Her โ€ข ๐Ÿท RCA โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2019

H.E.R., I Used to Know Her [๐Ÿ“ท : RCA]โ€œSweet, sweet fate / Oh, if itโ€™s really out of my hands / Can you forgive all of my sins? / Have mercy on me, me.โ€ ๐ŸŽต โ€œFateโ€ appears as the second track on ๐Ÿ’ฟ I Used to Know Her.  As to be expected, โ€œFateโ€ is a dark record, set in a minor key, featuring lush production and rich, dramatic vocals. Here in particular, the piano and strings evoke a certain mood.

Vocally, H.E.R. is incredibly emotional without ever over-singing or forcing things.  Her lower register is warm, while her upper register is quite powerful.  As far as the songwriting and theme, whatโ€™s the premise of โ€œFate?โ€ Unsurprisingly, matters of the heart, specifically the fate of her current relationship.

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Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:
๐Ÿ”—๐ŸŽง Fate: 3BOPS No. 6 (2021)


 

3. H.E.R, โ€œWe Made Itโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ Back of My Mind โ€ข ๐Ÿท RCA โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2021

H.E.R., Back of My Mind [๐Ÿ“ท: RCA]H.E.R. gets off to an awesome start on her debut album, ๐Ÿ’ฟ Back of My Mind, with๐ŸŽต โ€œWe Made Itโ€.  Early on, the instrumental shines, taking nearly a minute to simmer.  I heart the production by ๐ŸŽ› DJ Camper and ๐ŸŽ› Flippa. Once Wilson begins singing, sheโ€™s โ€˜on-point,โ€™ never over-singing, delivering expressive and nuanced vocals; the richness of tone is stunning.

Beyond the picturesque backdrop and sweet vocals, thereโ€™s also strong songwriting.  Wilson mixes contemporary, love-motivated, reflective, and gratitude within the same song. There are several key moments, including a favorite:

โ€œThey said I wonโ€™t come up with the family and cop a couple of Grammys
All the things they said I canโ€™t be, revenge taste just like candy.โ€

To reiterate, โ€œWe Made Itโ€ is an awesome way to start off Back of My Mind.  Furthermore, itโ€™s awesome standalone record.

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Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:
๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Made: 5ive Songs No. 51 (2021)
๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง 13 Songs That Totally Have It MADE
๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: June 2021


 

4. H.E.R., โ€œI Canโ€™t Breatheโ€

๐ŸŽต โ€œI Canโ€™t Breatheโ€ โ€ข ๐Ÿท RCA โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2020

H.E.R., "I Can't Breathe" [๐Ÿ“ท: RCA]โ€œI canโ€™t breathe / Youโ€™re taking my life from me / I canโ€™t breathe / Will anyone fight for me?โ€ Cutting right to the chase, H.E.R. shocked the world at the ๐Ÿ† 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.  How so? Well, after several nominations in the โ€˜big fourโ€™ categories, she won, unexpectedly, for ๐ŸŽต โ€œI Canโ€™t Breathe.โ€ Written alongside ๐ŸŽผโœ Dernst โ€œDmileโ€ Emile II (who also produces) and ๐ŸŽผโœ Tiara Thomas, โ€œI Canโ€™t Breatheโ€ tackles a history of racist injustice in America, specifically reignited by the murder of George Floyd.

As the chorus lyrics suggest, โ€œI Canโ€™t Breatheโ€ is a heavy record.  Set in a minor key, expectedly, Wilson desires the record to be reflective, somber, and thought provoking.  This isnโ€™t a song you should listen to and not take something away from it. Always a great songwriter, this record is by far her most timely, given the troubling situations inspiring it. Sure, most music critics wrote it off as a possibility to take such a prestigious honor at the Grammys, even if Wilson has been a darling of the Recording Academy early on in her career.  Clearly, we shouldnโ€™t have.  Itโ€™s truly a special, meaningful song.

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Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:
๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Eye ๐Ÿ‘ This List of Must-Hear โ€œIโ€ Songs
๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง โ€˜Say it Loud,โ€™ Beautiful Black Voices



H.E.R.: 4GEMZ ๐Ÿ’Ž No. 2 (2021) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner, Calvin Chai, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-VectorsPixabay, RCA, Unsplash]


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.