vocals – Square One

January 16, 2022

H.E.R – Artist Case Study

Biography:

Gabriella Wilson, better known by her stage name H.E.R., is an American R&B singer from California currently signed under RCA Records. She drew early inspirations in music from her father, who was a member of a local California band named Urban Bushmen and began a passion for music through guitar and vocals. Her first compilation album H.E.R. (2017), consisting of tracks from her first two EPs plus six additional songs, was nominated for five Grammy Awards, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album. H.E.R. Was a Published Poet and Apollo Theater Singer at Age 10 | PEOPLE.com

Beginning:

A big career breakthrough was made for H.E.R when she performed two songs at the ASCAP Awards and later that year was voted one among the three Radio Disney’s ‘Next Big Thing’. Sony Entertainment signed a contract with her when she was 14 years old. The song ‘Something to Prove’ was her first officially released song after which she took a break for 2 years. H.E.R was featured on Radio Disney, landed a record deal with RCA at 14 and received guidance from her idol, Alicia Keys. At 17, she emerged on the BET Awards stage with a performance of her debut single, “Something to Prove,” where she worked her way up to the Isley Brothers.

Management:

H.E.R manages her shows and sale promotions mostly through her personal website, https://www.her-official.com/ were her tour promotions are found, as well as her main streaming sources that are available through Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube, and various Social Media sources. She also receives much of her concert resources through being featured in other artists shows and collaborations.

Longevity:

Since appearing in the ‘Today Show’, where she played piano for Alicia Keys, and also making an appearance with Alicia in the Grammy Awards at the age of 12., H.E.R.’s fame and recognition has improved allowing her to appear in collaborations amongst greater artists. With the likes of Daniel Caesar on the hit song Best Part, performing on the 2018 BET Awards, and landing a spot as an opening act on Chris Brown’s Heartbreak on a Full Moon Tour, H.E.R has gained much recognition and achievements throughout the industry and will definitely continue to evolve with the help of her supporters.

Repeatable:

To me I believe it was possible for this artist to kickstart and return to her career due to the support and chances that were brought upon her journey. Of course self dedication and ambition are the key components to continuing and starting a career in this industry, however once there is the guidance of idols, family, or anyone out there interested in your work, it becomes possible to achieve a spot in the field of this career for anyone, even for long-term matters, but cannot be done all on your own.

References:

September 21, 2021

The Internet – Roll (Burbank Funk)

I really like the layered background vocals in this song (around 1:30) and the funky bass paired with the off beat egg shakers makes this song very catchy. The main vocals are balanced out really well and with all the instrumental happening in the background, at first I thought the song was a little bit crowded but after listening to it a couple times I noticed how all the instrumental and percussion compliment each other really well.

September 18, 2021September 18, 2021

TRACES – CLASSICS IV ft. Dennis Yost

This song has a nice melody when it comes to It’s vocals, in the beginning it goes quiet but in the middle, it picks up to louder vocals, happens throughout the song as well. 2:00 smooth bridge with the sax carrying along through.

September 18, 2021September 18, 2021

Penny Lane – The Beatles

I love this piece, it has a very smooth melody with repetitive beat through some of the songs and has harmony. At 1:13 theres a nice bridge were It’s just high vocals with trumpets which fits perfectly with the song.

December 14, 2020

Vocal Recording Techniques

My first resource is one more or the whole process of getting a good vocal recording from microphone choice to how your room should look. It’s a in-depth guide I strongly suggest if you have or don’t have experience. It’s valuable to understand that a good microphone doesn’t necessarily mean a good recording. Click here to be a vocal recording master!

If you want a more compact lesson how to to prepare from someone with a lot of experience, this is how Neal Cappellino gets ready for a vocal tracking session. The video is 22min long and I think it’s a good watch after the initial article above.

December 4, 2020