H.E.R.<\/strong> \u00a0<\/a>fans, don\u2019t fret \u2013 new music will be here sooner than you think.<\/p>\n H.E.R. (a.k.a. Gabriella Wilson), 28, exclusively told Us Weekly a bit about the new music that she\u2019s working on.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know if it’s really a sound that makes it cohesive more than it is a story and kind of this evolution of me now, but I’m so excited to share,\u201d H.E.R. told Us at the September 5 preview for the \u201cShe Built That\u201d event hosted by LEGO. \u201cI’m, like, beyond excited. I’m ready to get it done. I’m almost there. I’m almost to the finish line. So you’ll hear something soon.\u201d<\/p>\n H.E.R. said that the upcoming music will be a \u201ccelebration of femininity.\u201d<\/p>\n Carly Pearce Is \u2018Choosing Me\u2019 as She Makes Music in Her \u2018Single Era\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a reflection of me empowering myself,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n Calla Kessler\/AP Content Services for The LEGO Group<\/span><\/p>\n The two-day event featured activities hosted by U.S. gymnast Suni Lee<\/strong><\/a>, astrophysicist Dr. Jackie Faherty<\/strong> and YouTuber and artist Jennifer Zhang<\/strong>, a.k.a. JENerationDIY, as well as H.E.R. The four women led a different \u201cclub\u201d based on their specialty \u2014 sports, science, art and music \u2014 where they would engage in hands-on LEGO building \u201cthat empowers kids to explore their interests and kick off the school year feeling confident, inspired and ready to build their world with LEGO bricks,\u201d according to a press release.<\/p>\n This event was a part of LEGO\u2019s \u201cShe Built That\u201d campaign aimed at encouraging \u201cgirls to redefine what it means to be a builder by celebrating their creativity and empowering them to see themselves as builders, creators and innovators,\u201d the release continued.<\/p>\n Jennifer Zhang, Dr. Jackie Faherty, Suni Lee and H.E.R. spoke on a panel hosted by Mariluz Cook (left to right) Calla Kessler\/AP Content Services for The LEGO Group<\/span><\/p>\n H.E.R. told Us that her parents were instrumental in encouraging her to pursue any path she wanted and not limiting her because of her gender, especially regarding her desire to pursue music.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like being a kid in early 2000s, there was always this pressure to be like a singer, dancer. There weren’t that many young girls who were playing instruments, producing and [drumming],\u201d she said. \u201cMy dad would show me videos of Sheila E.<\/strong> and Patrice Rushen<\/strong> and A Taste of Honey to say, like, ‘You can do that too. My little girl can be a rock star, and she doesn’t have to be what the world says a woman should be as an artist.’ And he always told me that there was no mold.\u201d<\/p>\n Calla Kessler\/AP Content Services for The LEGO Group<\/span><\/p>\n The five-time Grammy-winning musician also gave much credit to her mother for allowing her to determine what femininity looked like to her.<\/p>\n \u201c[My mom] just encouraged me to embrace what my version of femininity was. There was never this pressure, like, ‘You gotta do this. You gotta wear your hair like this.\u2019 She was always like \u2018be yourself,\u2019\u201d H.E.R. said.<\/p>\n Fall Music Preview 2024: Inside New Albums From Kelsea Ballerini, Joe Jonas, Mickey Guyton and More<\/a><\/p>\n H.E.R. told Us that she was \u201cexcited\u201d to be a part of the “She Built That” campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cMy dad’s a construction worker, so it has another meaning to me. Oddly enough, I used to be so proud that he was a builder,\u201d H.E.R. said. \u201cIt’s really nice to see that the LEGO Group wants to encourage women to also be builders, and also to redefine what that even means.\u201d<\/p>\n During the event, H.E.R. taught the attendees to build little album covers using LEGOs. In the spirit of building, Us asked H.E.R. to build Us a playlist of some songs that have soundtracked her life, for our Make Us a Mixtape section in our newest issue.<\/p>\n A Song That Reminds Her of Her Childhood<\/strong> A Song That People Would Be Surprised You Love<\/strong> A Song You Put on When You Need a Good Cry<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
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It\u2019s still my favorite song ever: \u201cFree,\u201d by Deniece Williams<\/strong>, because I opened up for her when I was, like, 8 years old in Oakland [California]. I loved the chords, I loved the vibe \u2014 this idea of \u201cI just want to be free.\u201d It\u2019s a theme that constantly shows up in my life and reminds me to be a kid always.<\/p>\n
It\u2019d probably be a Black Sabbath song, \u201cIron Man.\u201d I love Ozzy Osbourne<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cSummer Soft,\u201d by Stevie Wonder<\/strong><\/a>. Even though it\u2019s upbeat, there\u2019s something about it that\u2019s yearning.<\/p>\n