Headley began playing the music of her native country at a young age, including calypso, reggae and soca. She moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana in the United States at the age of fifteen when her father was offered a job as pastor of McKee Street Church of God (in Anderson, Indiana).
After graduating from Northrop High School, Headley attended Northwestern University to study communications and musical theatre. In 1997, she played Nala in The Lion King, the Broadway musical. 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 1999.
Headley released her debut album, This Is Who I Am, in October 2002 on RCA Records. Although its first single, "He Is", was not very successful, the second single, "I Wish I Wasn't", achieved moderate success and earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Headley was also nominated for Best New Artist.
On September 6, 2003, Headley married Brian Musso, formerly of the New York Jets. Her second album, In My Mind, was delayed due to the various executive shake-ups associated with RCA parent BMG's merger with Sony, and Headley joked that it should have been called Caught Up instead. Under BMG North America chairman/CEO Clive Davis for the first time, Headley released the album in January 2006. The title track was released as the first single; it was produced by India.Arie collaborator Shannon Sanders, 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 Reason
Heather Headley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's many things I wish I didn't do,
But I continue learning.
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I've found a reason for me,
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you.
I'm sorry that I hurt you,
It's something I must live with everyday.
And all the pain I put you through,
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why I need you to hear
I've found a reason for me,
To change who I used to be,
A reason to start over new
And the reason is You.
And the reason is you,
And the reason is you,
And the reason is you.
I'm not a perfect person,
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I've found a reason for me,
To change who I used to be,
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you.
I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you
Heather Headley's song The Reason is a heartfelt apology to someone she has wronged. In the verses, she acknowledges that she is not perfect and has made many mistakes, but she is actively learning from those mistakes. Heather wants to let the person know that she never intended to hurt them, and she is deeply sorry for any pain she has caused. She wishes she could take all their pain away and be the person who catches all their tears. In the chorus, Heather reveals that she has found a reason to change and start over, and that reason is the person she is apologizing to. She wants them to know that they have inspired her to become a better person, and that she is committed to making things right.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not a perfect person,
I am not flawless
There's many things I wish I didn't do,
There are several things I regret doing
But I continue learning.
I strive to keep improving
I never meant to do those things to you
I never intended to hurt you
And so I have to say before I go
I am saying this as I leave
That I just want you to know
That I want you to be aware of this
I've found a reason for me,
I finally have a purpose for myself
To change who I used to be,
To become different from what I was before
A reason to start over new
A motivation to begin anew
And the reason is you.
And it's because of you
I'm sorry that I hurt you,
I apologize for causing you pain
It's something I must live with everyday.
I have to endure the guilt each day
And all the pain I put you through,
The agony I made you suffer
I wish that I could take it all away
I desire to remove it all
And be the one who catches all your tears
To console and support you
That's why I need you to hear
That's why I require you to listen
I've found a reason to show
I have a purpose to reveal
A side of me you didn't know
A part of me that you hadn't seen before
A reason for all that I do
A motive for all my actions
And the reason is you
And the justification is you
And the reason is you,
And the ground is you
And the reason is you.
And the cause is you
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DOUGLAS ROBB, DANIEL ESTRIN, CHRIS HESSE, MARKKU LAPPALAINEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Hetrick
This woman has an absolutely gorgeous voice
Gustavo
Me encanta ésta versión ❤️
Mark Hetrick
This has special meaning for me. My fiancée and I chose this as our wedding song. We were getting married on Sept 26, 2020... but she tragically passed away this summer. I’ll always hold this song close, so thank you Ms. Headley.
StelliStelloStilletto
My condolences 🙏🏼 It must be really hard for you. Take comfort in music and hug your beloved ones tightly.
YouSPI
Good choice, and so sorry for your loss.
gülcan aksoy
this version is much better than first:)
carlastee Shamburger
Me and my husband favorite song 🎵 💕 💓
YouSPI
Who is this singer??? Beautiful!
Katlego Moleme
It's Heather Headley, she has a magical voice