After winning her fourth Grammy and her first Oscar earlier this year, R&B singer H.E.R. is gearing up to release her new album, Back of My Mind.
The 21-track effort features some old elements that harken back to her earlier albums, and new sounds inspired by other genres of music.
"I didn’t wanna pull out all my tricks at once," H.E.R. tells Variety for "The Change Maker’s Issue." "My first few were just a small piece of who I am musically, and it was a matter of time before I could reveal others. I’ve always been a huge fan of Coldplay and Led Zeppelin and Radiohead and alternative and rock and blues, but it wasn’t until this album that I started digging into those other elements and bringing them to R&B."
H.E.R. added of Back of My Mind, "It’s a lot of different emotions and perspectives and things I’ve felt in the past few years. Now that people have entered into my world and have a better understanding, I can give more."
The singer, born Gabriella Wilson, says her stage name, which stands for "Having Everything Revealed," speaks to the true essence of who she is.
"So when I first released music, I wanted to be a silhouette -- these truthful stories were what I wanted to show, not me. It isn’t a persona," H.E.R says. "It’s not something that I think I have to turn on. It’s me, my true self."
Back of My Mind arrives Friday, featuring H.E.R's latest singles, "Damage," "Hold On," and "Come Through," with Chris Brown. Fans can also look forward to appearances from Lil Baby, Yung Bleu, Ty Dolla $ign, Cordae and more.