H.E.R. is Listening to Prince, Stevie Wonder, and The Proud Family

With one look or one listen, it’s clear: H.E.R. is quite possibly the coolest artist in music. The singer-songwriter, born Gabriella Wilson, sings smoothly, writes thoughtfully, and when she picks up a guitar, slices open imaginations with each fuzzy, bending riff. At age 23, H.E.R., who recently launched her own signature line of Fender Stratocaster Guitars, has already entered a stage of global fame. After all, she’s used to this; she signed to RCA Records at 14, and has already been nominated for a handful of Grammys, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album. Ahead of her turn as this week’s musical guest on Saturday Night Live, hosted by Adele, we caught up with the artist to ask her about the music that has shaped her, from To Pimp A Butterfly to the Proud Family theme song.