Back of our minds

 

Let’s be honest: it would be perfectly understandable should you feel somewhat jaded at all the new tracks, EPs and LPs coming out of music world these days. It may be a consequence of the pandemic (actually, it more than likely is), but there have rarely been so many new projects released in such a short amount of time by prominent and/or upcoming artists alike. Just think that mainstays Taylor Swift or Weezer released back to back albums, not to mention Lil Durk who managed to release not 2 but 3 projects in under a year, including the recent chart-topping The Voice of The Heroes with Lil Baby…

Nevertheless, you would be remiss if you did not pay close attention to an artist who, at the tender age of 23, effectively succeeded in combining the artistry of Prince, the vocal prowess of Beyoncé and the activism of Marvin Gaye circa What’s Going On. And we’re not just saying that: her Grammy-winning song entitled “I Can’t Breathe” said it better than we ever could. Same goes with “Fight For You”, which earned her an Oscar as part of the Judas and the Black Messiah soundtrack, a movie about the tragic killing of a Black Panther icon in the late 1960’s. If H.E.R. wanted to make a point that she should be taken seriously as an artist and a powerful voice in contemporary America, let’s just say she succeeded.

Now comes her debut album, Back Of My Mind. Everything we’d heard so far, including singles like “Come through” (featuring Chris Brown) and her DJ Khaled collaboration “I Can Have It All”, all point to the one and only conclusion: at an age other artists first encounter fame (if they’re lucky), H.E.R. is already hard at work cementing what will probably look like an incredible legacy. Just take “We Made It”, the sprawling opening number complete with an ethereal guitar solo the likes of which the artist formerly known as Prince would have definitely enjoyed: you would think this is a veteran artist taking stock of all the steps it took to get there. Again, at age 23…

Other songs on the album, like the very sleek “Damage” or the extremely soulful “Hold On” keep adding to the overall feeling that we are witnessing the apparent birth of a full-fledged musical vision. No matter how long it took — or didn’t take — H.E.R. to develop said vision, the point is it is very much here and ready for your musical enjoyment. And we will very much listen to whatever the young lady has to say!