H.E.R. Wins Impact Award At Billboard’s 2022 Women In Music Event

R&B singer H.E.R. said the kindest words to her mother when she accepted the American Express Impact Award at Billboard’s 2022 Women In Music event Wednesday.

H.E.R. acknowledged the women in the room and made a special shoutout to the woman who has been with her throughout her journey in the music industry.

“I want to thank my mom for teaching me to stay humble, be grounded, and be hardworking,” the 24-year-old “Best Part” singer said upon accepting her trophy at the event held at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.

The “Slow Down” singer sang her 2018 track, “Fate,” before accepting her award from Jimmy Jams of the legendary R&B production duo, Jam and Lewis.

“It’s always a beautiful day when women are getting recognized for the hard work we put in,” H.E.R. said as she held her award.

Born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson to a Filipino mother, H.E.R. is a four-time Grammy winner. She is also known for her ideas against racial discrimination.

“It never occurred to me to be an activist until I got older and started to realize how much hatred there is in the world,” she said in an interview with Billboard in February. “Obviously, in the beginning, it was a lot more about the music. Organically, however, people are starting to hear and see me more, to experience who I am and not just the music. So with that comes my views on the world: how I felt in 2020 when everything was going on and is still going on,” she said.

“It’s a bigger fight, (so) it’s my responsibility to use what has an impact — my voice — to speak out on some of these things, like the relationship between Black Americans and Asian Americans. Not because someone told me to, but because it’s what I feel,” she continued.

Billboard’s 2022 Women In Music awards were hosted by Ciara who led the crowd to a moment of silence for Ukraine before the event began. The awards ceremony also saw performances from this year’s honorees including Gabby Barrett, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat and Summer Walker.