Normani Reflects on Feeling Overlooked as the Sole Black Member of Fifth Harmony
Normani is opening up about her time as the sole Black member of the girl group Fifth Harmony.
The singer recently joined actress Keke Palmer and celebrity stylist Law Roach at NeueHouse in Hollywood for the launch of Roach’s book How to Build a Fashion Icon: Notes on Confidence from the World's Only Image Architect. During the event, Normani and Palmer discussed how fashion has been a powerful tool for self-expression.
For the 28-year-old, fashion became a way to be "vocal" as a Black woman in the music industry. She later reflected on her time with the chart-topping group and how she often felt overlooked.
As fans may remember, Fifth Harmony disbanded in 2018, with several members, including Normani, pursuing solo careers. Normani spoke candidly about this transition, sharing, "It all ended so fast at a very high level," adding that she was “just really grateful to have the opportunity to do things my way because I felt like for so long, I felt hidden.”
As the only Black member of the group, Normani often felt pressure to stand out. “I had to do the most in order to be seen,” she admitted. She also acknowledged that, while her bandmates supported her, they couldn’t fully understand her experience: “Not to say that the girls didn’t want to be there for me, but I don’t think that they knew how to because my experience was my own.”
Since stepping into her solo career, Normani has found her voice and creative freedom. Her debut album, “Dopamine,” was released in June.
Former bandmate Camila Cabello congratulated her on Instagram, and the two reunited at Paris Fashion Week, sharing a moment of camaraderie amidst the glitz and glamour.
