H.E.R. Performs “Fate” and “Uninvited” for She Shreds Issue 20

Watch and listen to soulful acoustic renditions of “Fate” and “Uninvited” by H.E.R., She Shreds Issue 20 cover artist.

October 9, 2020

Written by

She Shreds

TABS by

Alice Emerson

For the release of our 20th and final issue—the Death and Rebirth Issue—H.E.R. performs soulful acoustic renditions of “Fate” and “Uninvited” from her Grammy-nominated 2019 release, I Used To Know Her (RCA Records).

In our Issue 20 interview, H.E.R. spoke about her connection to the guitar and her learning process, mentioning that sometimes playing what feels good is all you need. We’ve included an excerpt from the interview to inspire you to learn “Fate” and “Uninvited” by using the guitar tabs below and playing along with the video.

And if you at any point feel incapable, repeat H.E.R.’s own words as a release: “Sometimes you just have to feel and know nothing.”

TAB: FATE

TAB: UNINVITED

How has being proficient at the guitar and being a multi-instrumentalist helped you navigate the music industry?

Well, I mean, being a musician is part of who I am. It’s always been my superpower. When I would perform at a talent show as a kid, most young girls would sing to a track, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I definitely was the only one who would bring a keyboard or a guitar. I’ve always felt so different, and I’ve always felt like it was just a piece of me, you know? It was just like, “Oh, I need my guitar. I love to write on guitar.”

It definitely helped my songwriting and my ear a lot. But in the beginning, when I released [H.E.R.] and before I went on my first tour with Bryson Tiller, I heard a lot of people say, “Oh, she shouldn’t play instruments… it’s gonna go over people’s heads, like, it’s not cool anymore.” And I was like, no, that’s never gonna happen because it’s part of who I am. And people loved me for it, and I feel like now I’ve inspired other people to play instruments on stage, and to want to pick it up and make it cool again, to practice and be in a band or to play.

Did you ever doubt yourself as a musician presenting as a musician?

I mean, it’s always tough. We always have doubts as musicians. There’s no right way to play. It’s about making somebody feel something. I’m not a huge music theory person; I’ve played by ear my entire life. Everybody’s different and I just like to play what feels good. And some people are very structural and they can’t necessarily play what feels good, they have to read a paper or go buy something. And then I think sometimes you just have to feel and know nothing.