In the latest installment of artists keeping us sane during quarantine is my favorite artist, H.E.R.’s new series Girls With Guitars, which if you couldn’t tell by the name, features other female artists who also play guitar. She let us know that this will be a weekly series (Yay!)
The first guest joining her was Tori Kelly. The pair spoke about mutual love for some of their favorite artists and influence, types of guitars and that they both play by ear. They say they prefer playing this way as it gives them the flexibility to create more freely. Tori performed an acoustic rendition of Lauryn Hill’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.” The two performed Frank Ocean’s ”Thinking Bout You” together as well as “Purple Rain” and Brandy’s “Brokenhearted.” Tori brought up a point about artists, especially women, needing to be more supportive and collaborative. She said that one thing the quarantine has proven is just how easy it is to reach out to people.
The next guest to join was Alessia Cara and they performed Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” They also spoke about their mutual desire to link up and write together.
The final guest to accompany H.E.R. for the night was Umi, an artist I hadn‘t previously been introduced to, but I’m so thankful that I know about her now! From the second she appeared on screen surrounded by green plants and lighting sage, I could tell she was a whole vibe! And that she was. She performed her song “Breathe” which she explained is an ode to her breath which helps her to stay calm and talked about the importance of meditation. This prompted H.E.R. to bring up “My Song” (actually MY very favorite song) as it’s her singing to her love of music, and like “Breathe”’is another song directly addressing something that isn’t human. When Umi started listing some of her favorite artists, and got to Corinne Bailey Rae, the two naturally fell in to the most beautiful acoustic duet of “Like A Star” that not even the technical lag of Instagram Live could interrupt. I’m so glad that she joined in this live because I will definitely be checking out the rest of her music.
Due to technical difficulties, the last guest couldn’t join, so H.E.R. stayed on a little longer and performed a few songs solo, including an unreleased song “Passcode” before exiting for the night.
Thank you so much to H.E.R. and all the other artists who are going live and continuing to feed us during these crazy times. We’ll most definitely be tuning in for the rest of this series. Who else would you like to see join in next week?
Comments