Heather Headley

**Heather Headley** (born October 5, 1974) is a Trinidadian-American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the titular role of *Aida*. She also won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for her album *Audience of One*. In 2018, she recurred as Gwen Garrett on the NBC medical drama television series *Chicago Med*.

## Personal life

**Headley** was born in Trinidad, the daughter of Hannah and Eric Headley (Barbadian). In 1989, she moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana in the United States at the age of fifteen with her mother and brother Eric Junior when her father was offered a job as pastor of McKee Street Church of God with headquarters in Anderson, Indiana. Headley attended Northrop High School, and was a member of their resident show choir, Charisma, and starred as Fanny Brice in the school's production of *Funny Girl*. After graduating from Northrop High School, Headley attended Northwestern University from 1993 to 1996, to study communications and musical theatre until the last day of her junior year, when she made the decision to become a part of the musical *Ragtime* and drop out of school.

In 2003, Headley married Brian Musso, formerly of the New York Jets. Both attended Northwestern University. On December 1, 2009, they welcomed their first child John David. Headley had her second son Jordan Chase August 18, 2014. In April 2019, the couple welcomed a third child, a daughter.

Headley regularly performs with Vertical Church Band, the worship team from Harvest Bible Chapel. She is featured in their song "How Great Is The Love" and "All Glory."

## Career

In 1997, **Headly** originated the role of Nala in the Broadway musical *The Lion King*. Headley's performance was well received, and she then originated the title role in the Broadway adaptation of *Aida*, earning the Tony Award for Best Actress in 2000. In 1999, she appeared in the Encores! staged concert production of *Do Re Mi*, with Nathan Lane, Randy Graff, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. She starred in an Actors' Fund of America benefit concert version of the musical *Dreamgirls* alongside Audra McDonald and Lillias White in 2001.

In the autumn of 2006, Heather performed Hal David and Burt Bacharach's song "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", from the 1968 musical *Promises, Promises*, for "The Kennedy Center Presents: The 2006 Mark Twain Prize", honoring playwright Neil Simon. The ceremony was later broadcast on PBS.

On July 5, 2007, Headley made a guest appearance for Andrea Bocelli's Vivere Live in Tuscany concert in Lajatico, Italy. They performed Vivo Per Lei and The Prayer. Headley sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (also known as "America") with Josh Groban on January 18, 2009, during the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. On March 12, 2009, Headley sang "I Wish" on *The Tonight Show with Jay Leno*.

From November 2012 until August 2013, Headley played the role of Rachel Marron, in the musical adaptation of Whitney Houston's 1992 movie, *The Bodyguard* at London's Adelphi Theatre. She was nominated for an Olivier Award and a What's On Stage Award for this performance.

Heather joined the Andrea Bocelli UK Tour playing Glasgow Hydro on November 23 and at the Leeds First Direct Arena on November 24, 2013.

On May 10, 2016, Headley assumed the role of Shug Avery from Jennifer Hudson in the recent Broadway revival of *The Color Purple*, which closed on January 8, 2017, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.

From 2017, Headley is co-starring in Spike Lee's Netflix reboot of *She's Gotta Have It* as Dr Jamison. She also voices of the part of Fikiri as Makini's Mother in The Lion Guard.

### Music

Headley released her debut album, *This Is Who I Am*, in October 2002 with RCA Records. Although its first single, "He Is", was not very successful, the second single, "I Wish I Wasn't", achieved moderate success. The work on this album earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and for Best New Artist making her the first Tony Award winner to be nominated for this award.

Her second album, *In My Mind* (2006) was delayed due to the various executive shake-ups associated with RCA parent BMG's merger with Sony. Under BMG North America chairman/CEO Clive Davis for the first time, Headley released her second album *In My Mind* in January 2006. The title track "In My Mind" (written and produced by India.Arie collaborator Shannon Sanders) was released as the first single; and its music video was directed by Diane Martel. The song reached number-one on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The second single "Me Time" was sent to Urban AC radio only. An album track, "Am I Worth It", served to promote Headley's New March of Dimes Educational Campaign "I Want My 9 Months".

In 2009, Headley, along with Al Green, released a version of the song "People Get Ready" on the compilation album *Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration*.

In January 2010 she won her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for *Audience of One* on the EMI Gospel label.

In December 2010, Headley performed a duet version of "Blue Christmas" and "My Prayer" with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli on his "My Christmas" tour in 5 US cities. At the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on December 4, 2010, the audience insisted on a second encore with Bocelli. Bocelli had to summon the detail to go and bring her back on stage.

Headley released her album *Only One in the World* on September 25, 2012, with the lead single "A Little While".

In September 2013, Headley appeared on *America's Got Talent* with Il Divo and sang "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" from *The Lion King*. She also appeared with Il Divo on Broadway for a limited concert run in 2013.

### Acting

In 2017, Headley began appearing in recurring roles on the TV series *She's Gotta Have It*. The following year, she began appearing as Gwen Garrett in a recurring role on the TV series *Chicago Med*.

In 2019, Headley was cast as Helen Decatur, one of the three leads in the Netflix series *Sweet Magnolias*.

## Discography

### Compilation albums

* Label: Legacy Recordings
* Formats: CD, music download

### Other

 "Love Will Find a Way"
 "People Get Ready" (with Al Green)

## References

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## External links

* Official website
* Template:IMDb name

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1. ↑ Heather Headley on playing an unpopular boss on 'Chicago Med': 'I love it!' *The Grio*. September 27, 2018.
2. ↑ "Heather Headley Biography" FilmReference.com, accessed August 28, 2011
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jones, Kenneth. "June 10 is Heather Headley Day in Fort Wayne, IN" playbill, June 10, 2000
4. ↑ Yang, Rachel. "Northwestern alumna Heather Headley replaces Jennifer Hudson in Broadway’s 'The Color Purple'" dailynorthwestern.com, May 12, 2016
5. ↑ "In Step With Heather Headley"*Parade*, accessed August 28, 2011
6. ↑ Template:Cite web
7. ↑ Template:Cite web
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Headley Broadway" playbill (vault), accessed February 14, 2019
9. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "Stokes Mitchell & Heather Headley to Sing 'Do Re Mi' w/ Nathan Lane May 6-9" playbill, April 23, 1999
10. ↑ Portantiere, Michael. "Review. 'Dreamgirls'" theatermania.com, September 25, 2001
11. ↑ Gans, Andrew, "'Obama Inauguration Celebration', with Beyonce, Headley, Usher, Latifah, Broadcast Jan. 18" Template:Webarchive, Playbill.com, January 18, 2009.
12. ↑ " *The Bodyguard Musical* leads the way with 4 Olivier Award nominations" showsinlondon.co.uk, April 26, 2013
13. ↑ Template:Cite web
14. ↑ Template:Cite web
15. ↑ Template:Cite news
16. ↑ Template:Cite web
17. ↑ *This Is Who I Am* allmusic.com, accessed February 15, 2019
18. ↑ *In My Mind* allmusic.com, accessed February 15, 2019
19. ↑ Template:Cite web
20. ↑ "Heather Headley Grammy" grammy.com, accessed February 14, 2019
21. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Tony Winner Heather Headley Will Join Andrea Bocelli for December Concert Tour" playbill, September 14, 2010
22. ↑ Rodman, Sarah. "Singing in the season" *The Boston Globe*, December 3, 2010
23. ↑ Powers, Keith."Andrea Bocelli delivers highs, lows" *Boston Herald*, December 7, 2010
24. ↑ *One in the World* allmusic.com, accessed February 14, 2019
25. ↑ Champion, Lindsay. "B'way Meets Opera! Watch Il Divo & Heather Headley Sing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" on America’s Got Talent" broadway.com, September 19, 2013
26. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Il Divo – A Musical Affair, With Heather Headley, Concludes Broadway Engagement Nov. 13" playbill, November 13, 2013
27. ↑ Template:Cite web
28. ↑ Template:Cite web
29. ↑ "Awardees" sarahsiddonssociety.org, accessed February 14, 2019
30. ↑ "Full list: Winners announced of the 2013 Whatsonstage.com Awards" whatsonstage.com, 17 February 2013