She performed at the BET Awards and is touring with Chris Brown. Meet H.E.R.

Less than two years after the elusive R&B artist H.E.R. made her debut, the vocalist has become much more than a stage gimmick that some pegged her to be.

H.E.R., which stands for Having Everything Revealed, chose to keep her identity secret for as long as possible, saying she wanted attention to focus on the music she makes. But from the beginning, some wondered if her secrecy was more of a marketing tool than anything else.

Whether the move was for protection or publicity, it worked, as the young singer has posted some truly impressive numbers in short order with little to no mainstream radio airplay.

Her debut EP, 2016's "H.E.R. Vol. 1," hit number one on iTunes R&B albums chart, while the 2017 single "Focus" (featuring a guest vocal turn from tour mate Chris Brown, performing this Tuesday night at Raleigh's Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek) cracked the Billboard R&B Songs Top 10.

Though the mystery of the singer's true identity has long been solved (more on that below), H.E.R. remains hesitant to grant interviews. Nevertheless, we felt it was our duty to shine a spotlight on the elusive superstar, and illuminate some interesting facts about the artist.

1. The identity didn't stay hidden long

The mystery behind H.E.R. was cracked within only one day of RCA Records releasing an early stream of her debut EP to select media outlets. Lauren Nostro at Genius, a music outlet best known for hosting song lyrics, quickly recognized a cover of Drake's "Jungle" as the same one released in 2015 by a young singer named Gabi Wilson.

Wilson was quickly signed by RCA after she saw some success with the 2014 single "Something to Prove," and the next year saw the record company release multiple stories about the progress she was making in the recording studio.

But there was no word that Wilson's debut album had dropped for several months, until it became apparent that Wilson and H.E.R. were one and the same. Though the parties involved tried to cover their tracks in various ways, including burying any trace of the earlier version of the Drake cover that they could find online, the artist finally came forward as Ms. Wilson earlier this year.

2. Shades of Lorde

In much the same way New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde was signed at a young age and blossomed as a musician after being paired professionally with an older mentor, H.E.R. also benefited immensely after connecting with the right collaborators who have helped her become the artist she's know as today.

Taking inspiration from a recent breakup, "Vol. 1" is the story of a toxic relationship from beginning to end, taking place on top of some of the best soul production found in music this decade. Written and produced as a solo act in private, the songs were rounded out by several outside creative forces, including producer Darhyl "Hey DJ" Camper.

3. She just had her Michael Jackson moment

Those who have seen Michael Michael Jackson's rendition of "Billie Jean" during the Motown 25 telecast in 1983 — including those who saw it live or are young enough to catch on YouTube — historically have said the performance defines the singer in many minds. From the sequin glove, to the debut of his signature "moonwalk," the nearly 34 million viewers watching at home would consider Jackson a solo superstar after this night.

Not only did H.E.R. have the most awe-inspiring performance at this year's BET Awards, it was one that left no doubt in anyone's mind that she had just instantly become a much bigger name within the realm of female R&B singers. Masking her appearance with smoke onstage while singing "Focus," the performance harkened back to the origin of the identity-shielding pseudonym.

This was followed by a guitar solo that made one wonder if Prince ("Purple Rain") was more of an influence on the artist than originally picked up on. Then she brought out R&B performer Daniel Caesar for the pair's duet "Best Part." After a segment designed to announce that a major new voice has arrived on the scene, perhaps the biggest surprise was that the microphone never left her hand at the end, as any other performer would have been tempted to drop it while walking offstage.

Details

Who: Chris Brown with H.E.R. and Rich the Kid

When: 7 p.m., July 10

Where: Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, 3801 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh

Cost: $25 and up

Info: LiveNation.com or 919-831-6400

This story was originally published July 5, 2018 at 5:37 PM.