Gabriella Wilson says “it’s time for people to really get to know the person” behind H.E.R.

Gone are the days when H.E.R. wore various shades to disguise her identity. The 25-year-old picked up roles as Gabriella Wilson in the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast and in The Color Purple musical film. In her cover of Vogue Philippines, she explains why she felt the need to be incognito.

“There were so many reasons why I wanted to be anonymous and why I wanted the music to shine,” Gabriella says. “I had been through so much stuff that a young woman goes through. I wanted people to hear the message and really understand what I’m saying and not be so focused on what I look like or who I’m dating or what I’m wearing and all those things that to me, we started to focus on more because of social media.”

With a few EPs and a debut album under her belt, Gabriella believes her fans know H.E.R and the music. She thinks “it’s time for people to really get to know the person.”

“Throughout these past few years with success and all the great things that have happened, I think I’ve been moving so quickly,” she says. “Now I’ve taken a second to be like, what do I want and who am I? I think that’s a coming of age moment.”

Part of that thinking’s also resulted in a change of style, as Gabriella’s donning “bolder” and “more assertive looks.”

“Being 25, the things that worked when I was 18 and 20 don’t work for me now and the things that I want are different,” she continues. “I know that’ll be forever changing, but I’m comfortable in that. I can’t tolerate anything or anyone that will try to take that away and try to make me something I’m not.”

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