H.E.R. & Dove Have Teamed Up To Inspire Young Girls In Sports

On Feb. 9, millions of people will tune into the Super Bowl to see a Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs rematch. Maybe you’ll watch because you want to see a good game. Or maybe you’re there for the snacks, or to see the sure-to-be epic half-time performance from Kendrick Lamar. Others tune in for the commercials — because, let’s be honest, this is when they *also* bring their A-game.

For one inspiring spot, Dove has teamed up with Grammy and Oscar award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer H.E.R. on a commercial that’s all about inspiring young female athletes to feel confident. This comes after the personal care brand found that nearly half of girls who drop out of sports are criticized for their body type.

To coincide with its uplifting message is an equally uplifting soundtrack. Specifically: a re-recording of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” track — originally released 50 years ago — along with an instrumental accompaniment by H.E.R. The idea? For this to be the anthem for young girls in sports to continue running, all while feeling confident.

Here, H.E.R. exclusively chats with Bustle about partnering with Dove on this campaign.

What was it like for you to re-record such an iconic song and then layer it into a project like this one that’s all about uplifting girls with Dove?

It’s everything I’m about and everything I hope to represent. I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, but I was really moved by this mission [and] campaign to encourage young girls. Especially in this new age of social media, it’s so important for us to pour into young girls.

Did you play any sports when you were younger?

I played volleyball in middle school and high school. I've recently started playing basketball. It's never too late to pick up a sport.

“Once you stop pedestalizing the moment and thinking that you're undeserving, unworthy, or not supposed to be there — reframe it as you're already there, so you might as well have fun and embrace it.”

How did your time playing sports influence you when working on this project?

I definitely thought about young me in the locker room, getting ready for a game, maybe feeling nervous or a little excited. I thought back to how much support I received from my parents, aunts and uncles, and some of my teammates. I feel really grateful for that because I understand how that plays a role in your confidence and whatever you do.

I know that not everybody has that, so it's important for me to be a representation of what strength and confidence look like, even if it's not all the time. I’m not perfect — we can’t always feel like we're on the top of our game. For me, it's always been about embracing myself authentically and putting one foot in front of the other.

This project was a reminder to me that I can represent that confidence and inspire little girls in whatever they want to do. And that's my mission statement in life.

What makes you feel more confident?

I do have nerves occasionally — a lot, actually. It's about doing it anyway. I always tell myself, “You're exactly where you're supposed to be.” Once you stop kind of pedestalizing the moment and thinking that you're undeserving, unworthy, or not supposed to be there — reframe it as you're already there, so you might as well have fun and embrace it.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.