During a recent interview on Karen Davila’s vlog, US singer and songwriter H.E.R (real name Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson) opened up about being having a favorite Filipino karaoke song.
The 29-year-old Forgotten Island movie actress first started singing at the age of three. By the age of six, she had started singing with her father and his cover band in the San Francisco Bay Area growing up. The interview also showed a clip of a younger H.E.R singing a song originally sung by Rey Valera in 1979 which eventually became a movie in 1991 and a TV series in 2023.
“Yeah, for sure. I would sing ‘Maging Sino Ka Man.’ I was actually at a restaurant and it just so happened to be karaoke Sundays and I was like, ‘I’m singing today. I’m definitely going to join in the festivities. I’m Filipino, I have to.’ So I ended up singing ‘Maging Sino Ka Man’ and I was like on TV or something. My cousins in the Philippines were like, ‘We saw you. There’s a video of you singing ‘Maging Sino Ka Man.’ We’re so happy and proud!’ Yeah that’s one of my favorite karaoke songs to sing for sure.”
READ: H.E.R., Liza Soberano celebrate Filipino roots in 'Forgotten Island' fan meet
After flying to Manila last month to attend the press junket for the animated film Forgotten Island where she plays the role of Josephine Cleopatra "Jo" Yuson, the Fil-Am artist also explained to Karen Davila how the idea of using a unique name originally came to her when she first adopted her stage name H.E.R in 2016 (which means Having Everything Revealed)
“At that time, I was 18 years old, 19 years old, not that long ago and honestly was just discovering the type of artist that I wanted to be. Because it’s one thing to be able to sing and to be able to perform, but it’s another thing to be an artist that with a real perspective, you know? With a real point of view and a message. I know that not too many people knew who I was as a kid because it was just me singing Alicia Keys on YouTube. But I wanted to accept the person that I was becoming and it was very vulnerable to write songs about my life and you know, boys. And I always thought that being like a goody two shoes girl, I was like, I’m not going to be the girl that falls for the wrong guy or goes through things that are inevitable for us to go through as women and when I did, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I became H.E.R.’ I became that girl who is all of us, you know? We all go through these things as women and that was my story and I was writing all of these vulnerable things and I was like, ‘Why don’t I just be H.E.R?’”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:
Born to an African-American father and a Filipina mother in the US where she grew up, H.E.R credits her family for helping her achieve the continued success she enjoys today.
“(It was) a lot of hard work, a lot of belief in myself, but mostly belief from my family. My dad and my mom, who’s from Cabanatuan City. She really believed in me and supported me throughout my life. I don’t even know where to begin. It’s been a whirlwind and I’m so grateful and I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices and I’m just so grateful for my journey.”