H.E.R. took to Instagram to reveal the project and share some thoughts on the front page! In a recently shared post, she captioned: “Verified. Never thought I would be on the cover of vogue 🥺 the fact that it’s VOGUE PHILIPPINES means EVERYTHING TO ME 🇵🇭 I am so grateful and excited for this next chapter…. LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!.” Check out the cover below!
December 15 is almost here! H.E.R. is set to star as Belle on ABC’s “Beauty And The Beast” 30th anniversary special, and the singer is also poised to represent her Filipino-American roots. In one of the costumes for the live-action segment, H.E.R. pays homage to her Filipino roots by wearing a dress that features baybayin.
The way @HERMusicx is honoring her Filipino heritage in her Belle costume. 😍😭🙌🏽
The writing says “Bela” (“Bella”) in baybayin. A pre-colonial script that was almost taken from us, but we are reviving it.
Proud of this Bay Area Pinay and excited to see HER in BATB!
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration premieres on ABC on December 15 at 8 p.m. and will go live on Disney+ the following day! We’re excited to see a Filipino Disney princess!
Filipinos will be proudly represented at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs)! Pinay singers Maymay Entrata and H.E.R. snagged two well-deserved nominations at the MTV EMAs.
Maymay Entrata is nominated for the Best Asia Act award, where she will go head-to-head against Japan’s THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE, South Korea’s TOMORROW x TOGETHER, Indonesia’s NIKI, and Thailand’s SILVY. You can vote for the “Amakabogera” singer here!
H.E.R. also received a nomination for Best R&B act, where she will go head-to-head against Chlöe, Giveon, Khalid, Summer Walker, and SZA. You can vote for the future Disney princesshere!
Best of luck to Maymay Entrata & H.E.R.! You can view the full list of 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) nominations here.
Grammy-award winner H.E.R. can now add Disney princess to her resume. The Filipino-American singer/songwriter has been cast as Belle in ABC’s upcoming ‘Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration’ special celebrating the iconic film’s 30th anniversary! Airing on December 15th, the hybrid program will feature live-action musical performances mixed with scenes from the animated film.
“I can’t believe I get to be a part of the Beauty and the Beast legacy. The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle!” said H.E.R. in an official press release. “I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M. Chu. It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
“With her obvious extraordinary talent and stage presence, H.E.R. is the perfect embodiment of our Belle and we are thrilled for audiences to see her in this celebration of creativity,” added Chu. “We were both influenced as storytellers by the original animated movie, so it’s very exciting to collaborate together to honor the artistry of that timeless classic while also inspiring a whole new generation of creators.”
Stay tuned for more news on H.E.R. and the upcoming special!
Filipino representation was at an all-time high at this year’s 2022 GRAMMYs. The year’s biggest night in music featured Filipinos nominatinated in all major categories and featured three official winners. H.E.R. won for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Fight For You.”
Bruno Mars of Silk Sonic swept with Record of the Year, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, and Song of the Year.
Hawaiian-Filipino musician, Kalani Pe’awon his third Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album for his album, Kau Ka Peʻa and gave a touching acceptance speech paying tribute to his Hawaiian roots.
To round things off Olivia Rodrigo took home three GRAMMYS for Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, & Best Pop Solo Performance. In addition to Olivia Rodrigo, H.E.R., and Bruno Mars dominating their categories, GRAMMY nominee Saweetie dominated the red carpet. The Filipino-American femcee served two looks during the event.
While Olivia Rodrigo may have taken home three GRAMMYs and shut down the award show with her performance, she had two viral moments from the night that set social media ablaze. First, her moment with BTS member V as part of the supergroup’s intro to their standing ovation performance. Additionally, the teen pop sensation drew inspiration from Adele and Taylor Swift by dropping and breaking one of her Grammys on the red carpet.
The trio of Filipino talents also performed at the award ceremony. Bruno Mars opened the show with Anderson .Paak as Silk Sonic, lighting up the stage and setting the energy for the night.
Olivia took to the stage and brought in all the emotions to perform her hit “Drivers License.”
Lastly, H.E.R. gave us an electrifying and epic performance taking the stage alongside the legendary Lenny Kravitz and Travis Barker.
Also in attendance, straight off their Pre-Awards, MYX Tape performance at the 24 Oxford at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, the Friday before the ceremony, were Ruby Ibarra and Kiana V.
The duo shared details of their outfits for the evening, which included custom outfits made by all Filipino designers:
Visual Artist, Keavan Yazdani also represented at the ceremony and was nominated for two awards for his work on Justin Bieber’s mega-hit “Peaches.”
Elle King also showed out and matched the red carpet in her monochromatic look. She was nominated alongside Miranda Lambert for “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” in the Best Country Duo/Group Performancecategory.
We’re proud of all of the Filipino representation at the GRAMMYs this year and what this means for the past Filipino acts who paved the way, the current Filipino acts in entertainment, and most importantly the future Filipino artists who will be inspired by this night at home. Check out the full list of winners at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards below.
Record of the Year
“Leave the Door Open” – Silk Sonic — Winner
“I Still Have Faith In You” – ABBA
“Freedom” – Jon Batiste
“I Get a Kick Out of You” – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
“Peaches – Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
“M Y . L I F E” – J. Cole Featuring 21 Savage & Morray
“Way 2 Sexy” – Drake featuring Future & Young Thug
“Thot S***” – Megan Thee Stallion
Best Rap Song
“Jail” – Dwayne Abernathy, Jr., Shawn Carter, Raul Cubina, Michael Dean, Charles M. Njapa, Sean Solymar, Brian Hugh Warner, Kanye West & Mark Williams, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring Jay-Z) — Winner
“Bath Salts” – Shawn Carter, Kasseem Dean, Michael Forno, Nasir Jones & Earl Simmons, songwriters (DMX Featuring Jay-Z & Nas)
“Best Friend” – Amala Zandelie Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Randall Avery Hammers, Diamonté Harper, Asia Smith, Theron Thomas & Rocco Valdes, songwriters (Saweetie Featuring Doja Cat)
“Akiho: Seven Pillars” – Andy Akiho, composer (Sandbox Percussion)
“Andriessen: The Only One” – Louis Andriessen, composer (Esa-Pekka Salonen, Nora Fischer and Los Angeles Philharmonic)
“Assad, Clarice & Sérgio, Connors, Dillon, Martin & Skidmore: Archetypes” – Clarice Assad, Sérgio Assad, Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin and David Skidmore, composers (Sérgio Assad, Clarice Assad and Third Coast Percussion)
“Batiste: Movement 11′” – Jon Batiste, composer (Jon Batiste)
Best Music Video
“Freedom” – Jon Batiste – Winner
“Shot in the Dark” – AC/DC
“I Get a Kick Out of You” – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
“Peaches” – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
“Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish
“Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” – Lil Nas X
“Good 4 U” – Olivia Rodrigo
Best Music Film
“Summer of Soul” – Various Artists – Winner
“Bo Burnham: Inside” – Bo Burnham
“David Byrne’s American Utopia” – David Byrne
“Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles” – Billie Eilish
“Music, Money, Madness… Jimi Hendrix in Maui” – Jimi Hendrix
As Women’s History Month officially kicks off, Billboard helps set the tone by recognizing some of the most influential and hardworking Women in the music industry. Oliva Rodrigo, Saweetie, and H.E.R. were all recognized at the event, and some shared their special moments with their Mothers.
Saweetie was honored with the “Game Changer” award during the ceremony. Her beautiful and proud mother, Trinidad Valentin helped share this special moment with Saweetie by presenting her with the award. Saweetie also took to the Red Carpet and talked to Billboard’s Chelsea Briggs about her highly anticipated debut album coming out this Summer and the documentary being shot around it.
H.E.R. took to the stage to perform “Fate” and received the American Express Impact Award. She honored her mother during her acceptance speech, whose impact helped her become the woman she is today. H.E.R. expressed that by her mother giving her a voice while she was growing up, she can now use that voice to help impact others.
Olivia Rodrigo performed her massive hit “Deja Vu” and was honored with the “Woman of the Year” award. Sheryl Crow presented Olivia with her award, and during her speech, Olivia made sure to give some inspiring words to all the young women who aspire to work in the industry. She also spoke with Extra TV on the carpet about how she was feeling that evening and what her favorite moment of the year has been so far.
1. MYX MUSIC: Choose Maris Racal’s New Hit – Maris Racal is back with her new track “Pumila Ka” featuring singer-songwriter and rapper raven, with production by Rico Blanco.
2. MYX MUSIC: Chronicles of Cordae, H.E.R, Lol Dork – Cordae‘s warm R&B track, “Chronicles” featuring H.E.R and Lil Durk is now available on streaming platforms!
3. MYX CULTURE: Representation Matters on “Craig of The Creek” – Filipino representation on mainstream entertainment and media has stuck again on Cartoon Network’s “Craig of the Creek” with Fil-Am girl Eileen and her Lola.
4. MYX MUSIC: SB19 Breaks Billboard Record – SB19 continues to break barriers and make noise for P-pop and Filipinos by hitting the top spot of “Hot Trending Songs” for the seventh week! The latest chart debuted in October 2021 with BTS‘ “Butter”.
5. MYX SPORTS: And New! Magsayo Wins World Title – The Pride of Bohol Mark Magsayo is the latest Filipino fighter that captures a world title!
Straight from the new GoldenInstagram and Twitter bios, Netflix says, It’s time to start “Celebrating the Asian diaspora on Netflix.” The streaming giant has officially launched a new audience-focused vertical to their social channels celebrating the beauty and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Golden joins Netflix’s other widely popular audience-focused verticals such as Strong Black Lead, Netflix Film, Con Todo, Geeked, Netflix Is a Joke, and Most. Strong Black Lead posted a clip of H.E.R. in support of Golden, welcoming the vertical to Instagram.
With this added push in API representation from one of the biggest streaming platforms worldwide, we are excited to see the shows and opportunities that come with this new vertical. Who’s ready to see a majority Filipino cast and Crew project trending in the top shows or movies section on Netflix Worldwide? We definitely are!
Kodi Lee is back on the America’s Got Talent Stage and this time with the amazing H.E.R. The two performed “Hold On” with Kodi on the keys and H.E.R center stage with a guitar. If you thought the song was already good, wait until you hear this duet. Kodi’s vocals are spot on and add an even more soulful touch to the song, which we didn’t think could even be possible.
Kodi has been busy and back performing with his brother and live band. From State Fairs to Festivals and Fundraisers, he’s been blessing us with his vocal all over the country.
H.E.R., as we know, has also been extremely busy coordinating her own sold-out “Lights On Festival,” and of course, recently knabbing more Grammys and even an Oscar!
At 23 years-old, H.E.R. already has Grammys for I Can’t Breathe and an Oscar for Fight for You on her list of accomplishments. H.E.R. talks about the music, activism, and maybe a future in voice-overs in this Variety’s Changemakers Issue. The Grammy-winning song, as much as any other, has become an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement. Fight for You was the main track for the film Judas and the Black Messiah which follows the events of Black Panther’s Fred Hampton. H.E.R. says in her Variety cover, “Knowledge is power, music is power, and as long as I’m standing, I’m always going to fight for us. I’m always going to fight for my people and fight for what’s right. That’s what music does, and that’s what storytelling does.”
H.E.R. is proud to say she’s equally Filipino as she is Black. The article talks about how she is an “artist who is a member of three of the most oppressed groups of human beings in American history: African Americans, Asians and women.” As an artist, she believes that as a creative there’s a responsibility to use the platform to tell the truth, and to write history the way that it was and how it connects us to today. With the accessibility of social media we are able to see the world today in real time and tell our truths.
“It was tough accepting myself and understanding that you can be both things. People like to put labels and boxes on you and try to say, ‘But you’re Black,’ or you’re this or that. Why does it have to be one thing? Why can’t I be all of these things?”
H.E.R. ON VARIETY
The Vallejo, Bay Area native talked about her upbringing and not always fitting. The storytelling in her songs come from parts of her life and experiences. H.E.R. shared stories of her mother’s upbringing in the Philippines, and her father spoke of growing up Black in Arkansas. He also was an iron worker by day and a musician by night who brought young Gabriella Wilson along to gigs and performances. She remembers always standing out even in the diverse Bay Area. In middle school, she was too Asian for the Black kids or too Black for the Filipino kids. However during senior year, it all changed. Now, she’s loud and proud of being Filipino and Black and attributes her being well-rounded to her wide perspective.
Now at 23, she’s just as ambitious as she was as a kid. With G-O in EGOT already in her belt, she’s aiming for an Emmy and Tony, but H.E.R. isn’t placing a hard deadline. However, it may not be too far away as she’s working on a Broadway score, but she is aiming for the EGOT before 30 years-old. Her main goal though is to inspire young women where they see her as an example of what is possible. “It means the world that there is another girl out there who [sees her success] and thinks, ‘I can do that too,’ H.E.R. tells Variety.
“My first few [releases] were just a small piece of who I am musically, and it was a matter of time before I could reveal others…it wasn’t until this album that I started digging into those other elements and bringing them to R&B.
H.E.R. ON UPCOMING ALBUM, “BACK OF MY MIND”
Also on the horizon is her new album, Back of My Mind which will showoff a wide range of styles we know she’s capable of. As a multitalented artist and guitar protégé, she’s slowly peeling off her talents and sharing it with everyone. Manager, Jeff Robinson describes H.E.R. as a genre-less artist and she wants to stay that way. She recently performed her new song Hold On with country singer, Chris Stapleton on the CMT Awards. H.E.R. crosses over genres so seamlessly while other artists can’t wait to collaborate.
Besides music, she’s looking into acting. We’ve seen H.E.R. on Netflix’s Yes Day film, but she tells Variety “there is so much I want to do. People don’t really get to see my comedic and fun side, except for when I’m impersonating my aunt.” Remember her post Grammy IG post?
“But I definitely want to do a lot more voice-overs, and comedy, but also some serious roles —I’m trying to do it all, I know. Whatever it is, one thing at a time. I’m gonna get there.” Keep on doing your thing Miss H.E.R. We’re rooting for you all the way!
Recently we introduced Bay Area native, Ashley Mehta to your playlist. She had just released her latest track, FEELS LIKE THAT which is a banger! Now, she just released the music video for it. Let’s get to know her and the artist behind the music a little better.
Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from and how did you get started in music? My name is Ashley Mehta and I am an Artist from the Bay Area. I have held a passion for music for as long as I can remember. Growing up I’ve been in choir, performing covers at shows, Youtube videos. When I entered high school I started using songwriting as an outlet, it became my greatest form of expression. Continuing on to college, I started collaborating with producers, songwriters and artists — this allowed me to grow in my skill as an artist and ultimately find my sound.
Does being from the Bay Area influence your style? Being from the Bay Area has definitely played a role in influencing my style. My goal was to also represent culture through my music. I implement an authentic sound that varies in versatility from 808’s to a Pop/R&B melody. The Bay Area “goes crazy” especially when it comes to music.
Photographers: Lauren Lamboy
What’s your creative process like, do you write lyrics first or come up with a melody? I typically start with freestyling both a melody and lyrics; I typically solidify the melody before diving fully into the lyrical direction. I find the melody to be one of the most contagious parts of a song.
“My musical influences include Kehlani, H.E.R., SZA, Kiana Ledé.”
ASHLEY MEHTA ON DESCRIBING HER SOUND
How did FEELS LIKE THAT come together? FEELS LIKE THAT was a very fun song to write. We wrote the beginning melodies on the piano portion of the track and ended up only leaving an 808 when the chorus kicks in. Our goal with this record was to be as unique as possible while also showing our versatility. I wanted to implement R&B melodies while also keeping a consistent pop feel. On top of this we wanted to make an electronic element known along with hip hop as well. The song flowed naturally and we were quick to fall in love with the melodies and sounds surrounding the entire track.
Photographers: Lauren Lamboy and Christina Qian
How was the experience shooting the music video? Shooting the music video was such an amazing experience! I am so happy to have had my amazing team alongside me bringing the vision to life, and such supportive friends and family – seriously couldn’t have done this without them!
I wanted to add a special thank you to Lauren Lamboy for the positive energy she put into this video, and dancers Jaylen Pea and Tessa Shanley for helping me feel like I could dance! This was my first full music video for my music and it’s definitely one to remember. The entire day was so fun and I am so grateful for everyone who supports me and my music! This is just the beginning!
Who would be your dream collaboration and what would the track sound like? Would you want to collaborate with a Filipino artist? My dream collab would be Kehlani. She is an artist from the Bay Area as well and I would want our sound to encompass that. It would be a more r&b/hip hop type of record but I think it would be fun to implement pop elements throughout the track. I would definitely love to collaborate with a Filipino artist. I would also love to collaborate with P-Lo and HER.
“A big goal of mine as an artist is to play Music Festivals such as Coachella and Outside Lands. I am very excited to perform at these shows and I find the energy to be so raw and authentic.”
ASHLEY MEHTA ON HER GOALS AS AN ARTIST
Lets get to some fun facts about yourself.
Being half Filipino, have you visited? What are some of your favorite Filipino foods? I have visited the Philippines a couple times, mostly when I was younger. My favorite Filipino foods are Sinigang, Bangos, Lumpia and Pastillas. The list could go on, I love Filipino food!
We think it might be time to have a potluck soon!
What are your Top 3 songs on your playlist right now? My top 3 songs on my playlist right now are Keep On by Kehlani, urs by Niki, and Damage by H.E.R.
Photographers: Lauren Lamboy and Christina Qian
So you’re on TikTok, I see you have loads of covers and remixes, what’s your favorite thing about it and what’s your best TikTok tip? My favorite part about TikTok is the creative freedom that everyone has; we can make a video at any time of the day and post it. TikTok has brought a big opportunity to all artists as we have this platform that can help spread our creativity even more. I love engaging with others and building relationships from the app as well. I think it’s awesome how you can land on the pages of people who you can relate to as well. My biggest TikTok tip is to let go of fear and expectation. It can feel vulnerable to post videos but it is important to remember to enjoy and have fun creating, that is what matters most.
Is there anything coming up on the horizon for your music or anything you want to share that we should be looking out for? I have an upcoming release coming soon and I am beyond excited to share this with everyone!
Cover Photo Credit: Ashley Mehta and Photographers – Lauren Lamboy and Christina Qian
Right off the bat, DJ Khaled’s latest track We Going Crazy puts a reggae spin to his usual hip-hop style. It’s ANOTHER ONE that’s sure to top the charts. Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. kicks off the track with her smooth vocals while Grammy-nominated Migos comes in with the punch in the verses. Although H.E.R. and Migos are features, they’re definitely heard from the beginning to the end.
The music video just premiered and matches the vibe of the song. The crew are seen living it up at the beach and waterfalls, but also having a feast. They also be going crazy taking a scavenger hunt around the beach until viewers see they’re actually stranded.
We Going Crazy is on DJ Khaled’s latest album, Khaled Khaled, now available to stream.
ABOUT DJ Khaled DJ Khaled is an American DJ, record executive, record producer, and media personality. He produced 11 studio albums of his own since 2006, and in 2017, he earned his fist No. 1 Single with I’m the One off of the album Grateful. In 2009, he was the president of Def Jam Records South and co-founded the We the Best Music Group record label. As a music producer, he collaborated with artists like Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Kanye and Nicki Minaj.
ABOUT H.E.R. Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson better known professionally as H.E.R. is a multi-GRAMMY Award winning American singer and songwriter. She was the first pinay nominated for “Best Song” at the Golden Globe Awards with Fight For You from the film, “Judas and the Black Massiah”. In 2021, H.E.R. won the Oscar in the category Best Original Song for Fight For You.
ABOUT MIGOS Migos was formed in 2008, by Quavo (born Quavious Keyate Marshall),Takeoff (born Kirshnik Khari Ball), and Offset (born Kiari Kendrell Cephus). They originally called themselves the Polo Club. The three members are family and were raised together. Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle, and Offset is Quavo’s cousin. In 2013, Migos released their commercial debut single Versace from their mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas). In 2017, their second album, Culture, debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart. Culture II debuted in 2018, giving the group their second number one album in the United States.
Featured Photo: Video Screenshot courtesy of @djkhaled
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