Trinidadian Soul and R&B singer Heather Headley is celebrating her 50th lap around the sun.
Born in Trinidad on October 5, 1974, Headley has entertained audiences for over 30 years. She started playing concert piano by the age of four, later immersing herself in the eclectic music of her culture: calypso, soca, and reggae.
Headley later moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the United States at the age of fifteen. She went on to attend Northwestern University from 1993 to 1996, to study musical theatre until the last day of her junior year.
Headley’s musical foundation opened up a pathway for decorated career in music and acting. She first earned acclaim in 1997 as Nala in The Lion King, going on to star and earn a Tony as the lead in Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida. It wasn’t long before she joined the Broadway cast of The Color Purple and Into the Woods.
Albums
Her transition to a music artist is where she really made her mark. She debuted her first album This Is Who I Am, in October 2002. The album, produced by Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and D’Influence, showcased her crystal yet soulful voice. The work on this album earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Fan favorites included “I Wish I Wasn’t” and “He Is”.
On Headley’s follow up album, In My Mind, she arrived with a more assured and confident sound. The title track, written and produced by India.Aire, won fans over with it’s emotional lyrics.
She switched genres for her third album with Audience of One, a gospel project. It featured a duet (with Smokie Norful) remake of the Commodores’ “Jesus Is Love.” The album was a commercial success, debuting in the top 20 on both the Pop and Soul charts, and topping the Gospel charts.
Acting
Headley spent years performing and before jumping back into acting. In 2017, she began appearing in recurring roles on the TV series She’s Gotta Have It. The following year, she appeared as Gwen Garrett in a recurring role on the TV series Chicago Med.
In 2019, Headley was cast as one of the three leads in the Netflix series Sweet Magnolias. She also voiced the part of Fikiri as Makini’s Mother in The Lion Guard.
In 2021, Headley starred as gospel legend Clara Ward in Respect, the Aretha Franklin biopic.
Over time, Headley has grown to be a modern soul star cherished by fans worldwide. A product of a Gospel-rooted, live-instrumentation household, Headley’s talent proves that she has what it takes to be around for a long time.
Happy Birthday Heather!