Heather Headley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heather Headley
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Headley in 2022
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 5, 1974 Barataria, Trinidad and Tobago |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | RCA, EMI Gospel |
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Heather Headley was born on October 5, 1974. She is a very talented singer, songwriter, and actress from Trinidad and Tobago. She is also a record producer.
Heather won a big award called the Tony Award in 2000. She won it for her amazing performance in the musical Aida. Later, in 2010, she won a Grammy Award for her gospel album Audience of One. You might also know her from the TV show Chicago Med, where she played Gwen Garrett.
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Heather Headley's Early Life
Heather Headley was born in Trinidad and Tobago. Her parents are Hannah and Eric Headley. When she was 15, in 1989, her family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the United States. Her father became a pastor there.
Heather went to Northrop High School. She was part of the school's show choir, Charisma. She also played the main role of Fanny Brice in the school's play Funny Girl. After high school, she studied musical theatre at Northwestern University. She left college early to join the musical Ragtime.
In 2003, Heather married Brian Musso. He used to play football for the New York Jets. They both went to Northwestern University. They have three children: John David, Jordan Chase, and a daughter. Heather also sings with Vertical Church Band, which is a worship team.
Heather Headley's Amazing Career
Heather Headley started her stage career in 1996. She was in the musical Ragtime in Toronto. She was also an understudy for the role of Sarah.
Her big break came in 1997. She was chosen to play Nala in the Broadway musical The Lion King. People loved her performance! After that, she got the main role in the Broadway musical Aida. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in 2000 for this role.
In 2001, she performed in a special concert version of the musical Dreamgirls. She also sang for the Mark Twain Prize ceremony in 2006. This event honored the playwright Neil Simon.
Singing with Famous Artists
Heather has sung with many famous artists. In 2007, she performed with Andrea Bocelli in Italy. They sang "Vivo Per Lei" and "The Prayer". In 2009, she sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" with Josh Groban at a special event for the Obama inauguration.
From 2012 to 2013, Heather played Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard musical in London. This musical was based on the movie starring Whitney Houston. She was nominated for an Olivier Award for her role.
In 2016, Heather took over the role of Shug Avery in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. In 2022, she played the Witch in Into the Woods alongside stars like Sara Bareilles.
Heather Headley's Music Albums
Heather released her first album, This Is Who I Am, in 2002. Her song "I Wish I Wasn't" became quite popular. This album earned her nominations for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best New Artist.
Her second album, In My Mind, came out in 2006. The song "In My Mind" from this album reached number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
In 2009, she sang "People Get Ready" with Al Green for a special album. In 2010, she won her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for Audience of One.
Heather also sang "Blue Christmas" and "My Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli again in 2010. Her album Only One in the World was released in 2012. In 2013, she performed "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" with Il Divo on America's Got Talent.
Heather Headley on TV and in Movies
Heather Headley has also been in several TV shows and movies. From 2017 to 2019, she had a role in the TV series She's Gotta Have It.
From 2018 to 2021, she played Gwen Garrett in the TV series Chicago Med. In 2019, she voiced the character Fikiri in The Lion Guard.
Since 2020, Heather has been one of the main stars in the Netflix series Sweet Magnolias. In 2021, she played the gospel singer Clara Ward in the movie Respect, which was about Aretha Franklin.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | |||
| This Is Who I Am |
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38 | 14 |
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| In My Mind |
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5 | 1 |
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| Audience of One |
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27 | 6 | |
| Only One in the World |
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187 | 25 | |
| Broadway My Way |
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Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Playlist: The Very Best of Heather Headley |
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Singles
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B | US Dance | US AC | US Gospel | Hot Adult R&B | ||||
| 1999 | "A Step Too Far" (with Elton John and Sherie Rene Scott) | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida | |
| 2002 | "He Is" | 90 | 38 | 4 | — | — | 1 | This Is Who I Am | |
| 2003 | "I Wish I Wasn't" | 55 | 15 | 5 | — | — | 1 | ||
| 2005 | "In My Mind" | 75 | 16 | 1 | — | — | 2 | In My Mind | |
| 2006 | "Me Time" | — | 35 | — | — | — | 5 | ||
| 2008 | "Jesus Is Love" | — | 59 | — | — | 10 | 29 | Audience of One | |
| "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| 2012 | "A Little While" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Only One in the World | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Other Songs
| Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" | 1997 | The Lion King on Broadway Cast Recording |
| "Shadowland" | ||
| "The Madness of King Scar" | ||
| "Love Will Find a Way" (with Kenny Lattimore) | 1998 | Return to Pride Rock |
| "Just One Dream" | 2001 | Golden Dreams (film at Disney California Adventure Park) |
| "People Get Ready" (with Al Green) | 2009 | Oh Happy Day |
| “A Dream is a Wish your heart makes” | 2017 | Disney Illuminations (nighttime spectacular at Disneyland Paris) |
Filmography
Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Fantasmic! | Princess Medley | Short film |
| 2001 | Elmo's Magic Cookbook | Pocket Queen | Video |
| 2004 | Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights | Rosa Negra Singer | |
| Breakin' All the Rules | Herself | ||
| 2021 | Respect | Clara Ward |
Television Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–19 | She's Gotta Have It | Dr. Clara Jamison | Recurring role |
| 2018–21 | Chicago Med | Gwen Garrett | Recurring role |
| 2019 | The Lion Guard | Fikiri (voice) | Episode: "Journey of Memories" |
| 2020–present | Sweet Magnolias | Helen Decatur | Main cast |
Awards and Nominations
Music Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Recording | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Soul Train Award | Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist | "He Is" | Nominated |
| 2003 | Billboard Music Award | R&B/Hip-Hop New Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding New Artist | Nominated | |||
| Soul Train Lady of Soul Award | R&B/Soul Album of the Year - Solo | "This Is Who I Am" | Won | |
| Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist - Solo | "He Is" | Won | ||
| Best R&B/Soul Single - Solo | Nominated | |||
| 2004 | Grammy Award | Best New Artist | Nominated | |
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "I Wish I Wasn't" | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | BET J Cool Like That Award | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Grammy Award | Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album | "Audience Of One" | Won |
| Best Gospel Performance | "Jesus Is Love" | Nominated | ||
Theatre Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Aida | Won | |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Won | |||
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nominated | |||
| Sarah Siddons Award | Awardee | ||||
| 2013 | Laurence Olivier Award | Best Actress in a Musical | The Bodyguard | Nominated | |
| WhatsOnStage Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Nominated | |||
See also
In Spanish: Heather Headley para niños
