H.E.R. Wins Best Original Song for ‘Fight for You’ at the Oscars

Ryan General

April 27, 2021 at 3:29 AM·3 min read

After winning two Grammys in March, H.E.R. took home an Oscar for best original song at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday.

The singer/songwriter won the award for “Fight for You,” a track for the film “Judas and the Black Messiah” that she wrote in collaboration with Dernst Emile II and Tiara Thomas.

Nominees in the best original song category include Celeste’s “Hear My Voice,” from the movie “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Molly Sandén’s and Will Ferrell’s “Husavik” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” Laura Pausini’s “Io Sì (Seen)” from “La Vita Davanti a Se,” and Leslie Odom Jr.’s “Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami."

In her acceptance speech, the Black Filipino-American artist expressed appreciation for being part of “such an important, important story” and recognized an artist's opportunity and responsibility to "tell the truth and to write history the way that it was."

#Oscars Moment: @HERMusicx, @DMile85 and @Tiara_Thomas win Best Original Song for "Fight For You" from Judas and the Black Messiah (@JATBMFilm). pic.twitter.com/BoCWWrDwFW

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) April 26, 2021

“Thank you to the Academy—I’ve always wanted to say that! I have to thank God for giving us these gifts,” she said. “And my parents, my beautiful mother who’s here with me today and my father at home, all those days of listening to Sly & the Family Stone and Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye really paid off, so thank you dad.”

"Knowledge is power, music is power, and as long as I'm standing, I'm always going to fight for us," she continued. "I'm always going to fight for my people and fight for what's right, and I think that's what music does, and that's what storytelling does."

H.E.R. won both song of the year for "I Can't Breathe" and best R&B song for "Better Than I Imagine" — with Robert Glasper and Meshell Ndegeocello — at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards on March 14.

The Oscar win puts the 23-year-old halfway to an EGOT — an achievement for an elite few who've won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award — according to People.

H.E.R. fans celebrated the recent win on social media with congratulatory posts.

I've been listening to her music since Daniel Caesar's best part, and seeing this achievement is what I was expecting since 2017. You👏deserve👏it👏hunney!

— 35 Percent 🥔 (@edboiboi) April 26, 2021

The Queen has captured the Grammys and Oscar all in a span of 2 months! Amazing!

— LarxTreadstone (@LarxTreadstone) April 26, 2021

I love her. Quite literally..... 🌹.. love this new crop of creatives globally and locally. Unapologetic, breaking stereotypes, living & loving their truth. Soar! Soar!

— M U L E N G A™ (@iam_mulenga) April 26, 2021