The R&B artist gave us permission to release as Saturday’s Congo Square headliner

H.E.R made the Jazz Fest Fair Grounds her own sanctuary as Saturday's Congo Square Stage headliner. In a day filled with non-stop rain and occasionally insufferable crowds, H.E.R brought an audience that sought connection and was emotional to witness. 

A blue sky opened up over the grassy field before H.E.R’s set started. People took off their rain ponchos and jackets, feeling sun on the backs of their necks for the first time that day. Families dried off, their children sitting happily in strollers. It felt like the first day of spring with everyone stepping into the light.

A wall of sound signaled the start of the show. H.E.R walked gracefully onstage to the sounds of electric guitar rumbling and crash cymbals stirring, the distortion awakening something in all of us. Wearing a silver two piece set, she sparkled like water in movement. You could feel the smile behind her round retro shades from the back of the crowd, where the sitters in their lawn chairs cracked open cold drinks and kids sipped on lemonade. 

It became clear that this set meant something to people as soon as an acoustic guitar plucked the dissonant melody of “B.S,” a song H.E.R featured on with Jhene Aiko. A man that had just gotten off work from the parking lot made his way through the crowd, taking his reflective vest off and waving his rolled up traffic flag as he danced and sang the words, “Back up on my bullshit / Back up on the scene,” at the video screen. 

H.E.R had a primarily Black audience that spanned generations. To many people, she meant empowerment, from her lyrics that explore self-worth and introspection as a Black woman, to the fact that she could play every instrument on stage just as well as her backing band.

“Stare out the window / Oh, why am I so / Jaded and waiting for some kind of miracle? Yeah,” the audience echoed as she played the signature acoustic guitar riff of “Carried Away.” People had their arms around each other as they swayed back and forth to the ethereal sound. Some stood by themselves, arms held up in the air, floating and mimicking H.E.R’s vocal runs like feathers falling to the ground. It seemed like people brought their entire families, from children dancing to old couples standing and filming the show on their phones, heads bobbing and soft smiles on their faces. Black joy and serenity was expressed intergenerationally. 

At the same time, everyone can feel seen by H.E.R’s music. A white boy in cowboy boots and an Ariat baseball hat knew every word to every song. A gay couple in H.E.R merch embraced towards the back of the crowd. Friend groups made little half circles and sang the words to each other. A frat bro and his girlfriend weaved through the audience with urgency. “Yo this is my favorite song!,” he said as he jumped up and down. The fact that H.E.R can speak to such a wide audience shows her ability to catch people at their most vulnerable, no matter who they are. 

For “Hard Place,” H.E.R picked up the blue Stratocaster. It commenced the rock out portion of her set, where she would eventually move to the drum kit and play a mash up of  “I Love Rock And Roll / We Will Rock You / Glory,” flipping dad rock on its head and making it something that everyone could go hard to.

The parts of her set that moved into the rock realm showed how effective rock music can be when it’s used as a selective vehicle to intensify the moment. From the icy notes that bled from her guitar to the four-on-the-floor moments that had the gospel singers behind her forming minor chords with their voices, H.E.R hit people in a place that often isn’t accessed. These particular pressure points of her set helped people emotionally release and feel at peace with their emotions.

A family in the crowd let go of three balloons during the set, sharpied letters written on their air-filled bodies. Whether it was a note to those who have passed, or a blessing for things to come, it felt right to watch them floating towards the atmosphere while H.E.R’s voice carried over the fairgrounds. We all let go of balloons with H.E.R, whether you could see them or not.