Top 10 Heather Headley Songs

Heather Headley Songs

Our Top 10 Heather Headley Songs list looks at a singer and actress. She got her start on Broadway. She has won a Tony award for her role in the Broadway musical Aida. She won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for Audience of One. Her hits include “Me Time,” “He Is,” “I Wish I Wasn’t,” “I Didn’t Mean To,” “Always Been Your Girl,” “Maybe I’ve Changed, “Jesus Is Love” as well as other singles. She appeared in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and Breaking All the Rules in 2004. She appeared in the movie Respect in 2021. She appeared on television. She had a recurring role on She’s Gotta Have It in 2017 – 2019. She starred on Chicago Med on and off for three years. She appears on the Netflix show Sweet Magnolias.

Heather Headley was born on October 5, 1974. She got her start by singing in a choir at school. She dropped out of college to become a Broadway star. She was an understudy for Audra McDonald in the musical Ragtime. She got her breakthrough role when she landed the role of Nala in the Broadway musical The Lion King. The role led her to originate the starring role in Aida.

She released This Is Who I Am in 2002. It peaked at number 14 on the R&B charts and 38 on the Billboard 200. It features the singles “He Is,” “I Wish I Wasn’t,” “Fulltime,” “Always Been Your Girl,” “Sista Girl,” and “Why Should I Cry.” The album sold over 600,000 copies. In My Mind was released in 2006. It peaked at number one on the R&B charts and number five on the Billboard 200. It features the singles “In My Mind,” “I Didn’t Mean To,” “Me Time,” “What’s Not Being Said,” “Back When It Was” and “Wait A Minute.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.

Audience of One was released in 2009. It peaked at number one on the gospel charts, six on the R&B charts, and number 27 on the Billboard 200. It features the singles “Ordinary Me,” “Jesus Is Love,” “Running Back to You,” “Here I Am to Worship,” and “Zion.” Only One in the World was released in 2012. It peaked at number 25 on the r&b charts and number 187 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “The Reason,” “Because You Need Me,” “River Deep Mountain High,” “Home” and “Superwoman.” She released other compilation and Broadway albums throughout her career.

Heather Headley is an underrated singer. She has the voice of an angel, but she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. She can sing the alphabet and make it sound good. She was able to transition from a Broadway actress to a singer. This Top 10 Heather Headley Songs list will feature her best songs. Which one will make the cut?

# 10 – Jesus Is Love ft. Smokie Norful

The first song on our Top 10 Heather Headley Songs list is “Jesus Is Love” from the Audience of One album. The song has a gospel beat. The inspirational song is about the love Jesus has for his children. It gives you the lesson to trust Jesus. It will make you feel grateful to God for the things you have in life. It gives you a chance to reflect on your blessings. These comforting words will help make you feel good when you are down. The lyrics will inspire you to have faith in God. The words will touch your soul.

This is a cover of The Commodores hit song. Did Heather Headley and Smokie Norful make the song their own? They didn’t stray too far from the original song when it concerns the music. This version has a little more tempo than The Commodores’ version. It has a more updated sound than the original. This version is a duet while Lionel Richie sang the original. Heather Headley and Smokie Norful turn this into a power ballad. They both sound amazing. Their voices are beautiful together. It’s as if they were made to sing together.

They were able to hold their own against each other. They take you to church with their powerful vocals. The volume of the choir is great. They can keep up with the strength of Heather Headley and Smokie Norful’s vocals. They all make you want to sing along with them. This is one of the most beautiful gospel songs ever written. If you aren’t a fan of gospel music, this song will turn you into one. This masterpiece is flawless.

# 9 – Always Been Your Girl

The next song on our Top 10 Heather Headley Songs list is “Always Been Your Girl” from the This Is Who I Am album. The song has an R&B beat. The reflective song is about being open in a relationship. This song tells you how painful lying can be in a relationship. For some reason, people think it is better to lie than to be honest with each other.

This song will show you that you should be open to telling the truth. It tells a story about a man and woman who are supposed to be in love. He steps out of the relationship to be with another woman. Unfortunately, his girlfriend finds out what he did. She has been lied to and wishes he would have been honest about his feelings. It sounds like a plot from a movie.

Cheating is something most people have gone through in relationships. This song is relatable to people in similar situations. This beautiful ballad hits home to anyone who is dealing with infidelity. Here is a fun fact about the song. Singer Deborah Cox co-wrote this ballad. The melody of this song is similar to Deborah Cox’s song “Play Your Part.” Heather Headley’s vocals are phenomenal.

The song shows off the range in her voice. She can sing in her lower and upper registers. She sings this with a lot of passion. You would never know she didn’t write the song because she sings it with her heart and soul. The only minor flaw is she chose to hold back when it was time to hold a big note. She could have vocally soared with the note, but she didn’t go for it.

#8 – He Is

The question-filled song is from the This Is Who I Am album. The song has an R&B beat. The worshipping song is about how she wants her man to be in a relationship. He is the one who is supposed to make her feel good when she is feeling down. He gives the woman he loves pleasure.

He is supposed to protect her heart. She has a list of things to describe how her man is supposed to be. This is relatable to anyone who wants the perfect man. If you have always dreamed of having the ideal man, you should listen to this sexy song. It will give you all the information you need to find the perfect man. This is Heather Headley’s debut single. This is the song that put her on the map. This isn’t a male-bashing song.

This song makes men look good. Many women tend to bash men in songs, but Heather Headley sang a song that praises men. It is a nice change of pace to hear a song where men are good. This song doesn’t showcase what Heather Headley can do vocally, but she sounds pretty. She gives you just a piece of what she can do with her voice. The only thing missing from this song is a power note. She does belt the chorus towards the end of the song, but she does miss an opportunity to hold notes.

# 7 – I Didn’t Mean To

The cautionary tale is from the In My Mind album. The song has an R&B beat. The dramatic song tells a story about what happens when a spouse cheats. She lists all the things the spouse could lose because they were unfaithful. This song warns you shouldn’t risk your relationship with an excellent person to cheat. She explains in detail what a person could lose when they decide to step outside the relationship.

Many artists have recorded songs about infidelity. Heather Headley is one of them, but they don’t discuss what they lose when they leave the marriage. The lyrics are intense. The song is told from her point of view. You must pay attention to the lyrics to tell who is cheating. It turns out she is the one who is cheating. There aren’t too many songs where the woman talks about cheating. It’s usually the man who cheats in the songs.

This story is very different and creative. Here is a fun fact about the song. Singer Ne-Yo co-wrote this track. The track has a haunting melody, which gives the song a dramatic flair. She sings this song with a lot of emotion. She stays in character throughout the song, so you get to experience everything that she is going through. She doesn’t do any vocal tricks or hold many notes, but she does a great job with the lyrics.

# 6 – What’s Not Being Said

The bittersweet song is from the In My Mind album. The song has an R&B beat. The emotional song is about what happens when love turns sour. The relationship was great in the beginning, but then things changed. We have all been through this in relationships. Things are always great until they change for the worse. This song is relatable to couples whose passion is dying.

Most people don’t have it to discuss what is missing in their relationship. This song will give you the courage to explain what’s going wrong in the relationship to your partner. This song will hit differently if you are in a relationship that has lost its luster. You may listen to the lyrics and think this is my story. She is singing about you. You could be the subject of the song. If you don’t have a bad relationship, it will make you appreciate what you have. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis wrote and produced this track. It sounds like a classic Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis track. It is piano-laden and features drums and finger snaps.

It resembles Yolanda Adams’ ”Open Up My Heart” and Janet Jackson’s “Again.” This underrated track shows off Heather Headley’s vocal range. She sings this in her upper and lower register. She belts the song but holds back as far as holding the notes goes. The music is soft, so it doesn’t require her to do any power singing. She belts towards the end but doesn’t go for the big note. She sounds similar to Yolanda Adams and Celine Dion.

# 5 – Maybe I’ve Changed

The next song on our Top 10 Heather Headley Songs list is “Maybe I’ve Changed” from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Volume 1 album. The song has an R&B beat. The empowering song is about having female empowerment. She expresses to her love that things are different in a relationship. What she realized is she might be the reason why things are different. She noticed that she changed, which could be why things are different. She doesn’t want the same things she wanted when they got together. She also talks about her partner changing in the relationship.

Most people change during relationships, so wanting something new is natural. This is a sophisticated song, and it’s very well produced. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis hit all the right notes with this track. This type of song will have you singing along with the radio as you listen to the meaningful lyrics. The music is soft and sensual. It’s a little strange that the music is sensual when it’s a song about a relationship that has gone sour. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have worked with Heather Headley in the past, so it made sense to have her on their debut album.

The trio work so well together. She brings their words to life as she pours her heart out. She does such a convincing job that you believe that she is in pain. Heather Headley sounds very pretty on this track. She sings in time with the beat. She gets so into the song that her voice cracks when she finishes the bridge. It would not have sounded good if another singer had done that, but it worked with the track. It proved that she was completely enveloped in the song. She doesn’t turn the song into a power ballad, but she does belt throughout the song.

# 4 – Me Time

The clingy song is from the In My Mind album. The song has an R&B beat. The insecure song is about needing space in a relationship. A person can suffocate if you are always crowding them. Everyone wants their “me time.” If you don’t get your “me time,” things may not work out in your relationship. Everyone can relate to wanting “me time.” If you are dealing with a stressful day, you will enjoy your “me time.” This is the female anthem for all females.

The music is a ballad with a little tempo. Here is a fun fact. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds co-wrote this gem. Strangely, men wrote about a woman needing time for herself. It shows that men can be sensitive to a woman’s needs. The song’s melody sounds like “Going Out of Business” by Babyface. It has a relaxed R&B vibe. The drums sell the music.

Heather Headley sings this banger with all her heart and soul. She sings things as if she wrote it herself. She sings in time with the music. She starts the song off softly and then vocally explodes towards the end. She does hold back when it comes to holding notes, but it wasn’t needed for this track. She still sounds fantastic. She shows versatility by singing in her lower and upper registers. She proved that she doesn’t have to sing a power ballad to do a great job.

# 3 – Run to You

This romantic song is from the Only One in the World album. The song has an R&B beat. The touching song is a remake of Whitney Houston’s big hit single. Heather Headley took a big chance singing a Whitney Houston song. You must have a lot of confidence in your vocals to take on a Whitney Houston track. No one can hold a candle to Whitney Houston, so she bravely took on the challenge.

Did Heather Headley make this version her own? She didn’t make the song her own. She changed the melody of the music. The tempo speeds up after the first verse. Her version is more of a Broadway version than the original version. She attempts to sing the song the way Whitney Houston did. She holds runs and belts throughout the song. Heather Headley showed that she was up for the challenge. She did a fantastic cover of this song.

There aren’t too many people who can cover a Whitney Houston song and sing it just as good as Whitney Houston, The original version is so beautifully done and popular that it would be hard to cover her song and not compare the two. Heather Headley’s version won’t let you forget about Whitney Houstons but this version is outstanding. It was worthy of applause. She showed that she is a vocal powerhouse just like Whitney Houston. Surprisingly, she hits more notes than Whitney Houston did. She also turned this into a power ballad. Heather Headley deserves two thumbs up for this beautiful rendition.

# 2 – Home

This nostalgic song is from the Only One in the World album. The song has a jazz beat. This is a cover of the song from The Wiz. It was famously performed by Stephanie Mills and Diana Ross. Stephanie Mills performed the song in the play while Diana Ross performed it for the movie. The touching song is about appreciating life at home. It is a story about a girl who ends up in Oz and wants to go home.

If you are familiar with the plot of The Wiz, then you already know the significance of the song. Many artists have done this song; Heather Headley’s version is one of the best. The music has a Broadway feel. It makes you feel like sitting in a theater watching an angel sing. She starts the song off softly in the beginning. She gives the song a dramatic build-up the way it is usually performed.

When the music gets louder, so does she. She got a chance to show off her Broadway roots with this track. She holds nothing back with this song. She has the perfect voice for Broadway. She gave a showstopping performance when she held the pivotal note at the end of the song. It will give you chills listening to it. It will make you want to hear the song over and over again.

# 1 – I Wish I Wasn’t

The number one song on our Top 10 Heather Headley Songs list is ”I Wish I Wasn’t” from the This Is Who I Am album. The song has an R&B beat. The bitter song is about one-sided love. The song tells the story of a person in love, but the other one doesn’t feel the same way. We have all been in that position where people don’t return their feelings for you.

The lyrics are moving and relevant. This is her biggest hit song. This is Heather Headley’s first collaboration with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It is easy to see why this song was such a big hit for her. It has all the makings of a great song. This song is universal. Men and women can relate to this song. It is told from her point of view, but men also know what it is like to deal with one-sided love.

The melody is similar to “Open Up My Heart” by Yolanda Adams. The music is soft and soothing. The music has the classic Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis sound. Heather Headley’s voice is stellar. She sounds angelic as she pours her heart about one-sided love. She makes you feel sympathy for her plight. She sounds as if she has really been through this issue. She may not have written the lyrics, but she sings them very passionately. She starts the song off softly and builds up to a power ballad. She is happily married, but she was able to convincingly pull off this track. Everything about this song is incredible. You will definitely want to keep this song on repeat.

Feature Photo: Debby Wong / Shutterstock

Updated February 22, 2024

Top 10 Heather Headley Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

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