Heather Headley

Biography

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 title role of Aida. She also won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for her album Audience of One×Audience of One13 January 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Simply Redeemed5:082Ordinary Me4:303I Wish4:014Jesus Is Love5:425I Need Thee Every Hour / Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus / I'd Rather Have Jesus4:526Running Back to You5:317I Know the Lord Will Make a Way4:478Here I Am to Worship4:449Power of the Cross6:3110Zion3:38. In 2018, she recurred as Gwen Garrett on the NBC medical drama television series Chicago Med. She starred on the Netflix series Sweet Magnolias, which debuted in 2020 and is in its fifth season as of June 2026.

Early 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 high school, where she was valedictorian when she graduated in 1993, Headley attended Northwestern University from 1993 to 1996, to study musical theatre until the last day of her junior year, when she made the decision to become a part of the musical Ragtime and leave school.

Career

Headley's stage career began in 1996 when she was cast as a member of the ensemble in the original Toronto production of the musical Ragtime where she was an understudy for Audra McDonald in the role of Sarah. Her breakthrough came the following year when she 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 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.
In May 2022, Headley played the Witch in the Encores! version of Into the Woods. She starred alongside Sara Bareilles, Neil Patrick Harris, Gavin Creel, and Denée Benton.

Music

Headley released her debut album, This Is Who I Am×This Is Who I Am8 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks1He Is3:492Nature of a Man3:263Fallin’ for You3:044I Wish I Wasn’t6:205Fulltime3:406Like Ya Use To4:077Always Been Your Girl4:378Sunday3:309Four Words From a Heartbreak3:3910Sista Girl4:3111Why Should I Cry3:4912If It Wasn’t for Your Love3:54, in October 2002 with RCA Records. Although its first single, "He Is", was not very successful, the second single, "I Wish I Wasn't×I Wish I Wasn't6 June 2006 · EP · RemixSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1I Wish I Wasn't (Darryl James radio mix)4:342I Wish I Wasn't (Darryl James club mix)7:573I Wish I Wasn't (Thick Dick vocal mix)8:524I Wish I Wasn't (Thick Dick dub)8:195I Wish I Wasn't (Junior's World mix)9:246I Wish I Wasn't (Junior Vasquez original club mix)11:157I Wish I Wasn't (Junior Vasquez original radio mix)3:408I Wish I Wasn't (Junior's World radio mix)3:489I Wish I Wasn't (Darryl James a cappella)2:32", 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×In My Mind31 January 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1In My Mind4:062Am I Worth It3:213Wait a Minute3:314I Didn't Mean To3:545How Many Ways3:186Back When It Was4:277What's Not Being Said4:358Losing You3:479Rain3:1210The Letter4:1611Me Time3:4812Change3:18 (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×Audience of One13 January 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Simply Redeemed5:082Ordinary Me4:303I Wish4:014Jesus Is Love5:425I Need Thee Every Hour / Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus / I'd Rather Have Jesus4:526Running Back to You5:317I Know the Lord Will Make a Way4:478Here I Am to Worship4:449Power of the Cross6:3110Zion3:38 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×Only One In the World25 September 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Only One in the World4:032The Reason3:523Because You Need Me4:144Bring Him Back4:465Run to You4:286A Little While4:237River Deep Mountain High4:448One Last Cry3:579Superwoman5:0310Hey Mama3:2911I Wish4:0012Home4:02 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.

Television and film

Starting in 2017, Headley appeared in a recurring role on the TV series She's Gotta Have It as Dr. Jamison. In 2018, she appeared in a recurring role as Gwen Garrett 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.

Personal life

In 2003, Headley married Brian Musso, an investment advisor who briefly played for 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 on August 18, 2014. In April 2019, the couple welcomed a third child, a daughter.