Normani is now speaking up about her time with her girl group, Fifth Harmony. Although it was the band that launched her into stardom, she revealed in a recent interview that she felt her time with the group was like a "prison sentence" and that she feared for her life.
The singer, who is set to release her debut solo album, Dopamine, spoke with The Cut about her time with the group. She said that although it was a "blessing," she also felt "traumatized."
"I didn't want to be at the forefront. It wasn't until later that I started feeling like a token," she said.
Introducing our April Cut Cover star: ⭐️@Normani⭐️ Five years after releasing her first solo single, “Motivation,” the pop star’s debut album, Dopamine, is finally coming — for real this time. Getting here hasn’t been easy. Read the profile by @nopecon https://t.co/hGUmh9pjCf pic.twitter.com/XTjLtW8guR
— The Cut (@TheCut) April 30, 2024
She recalled an alleged non-reaction from L.A. Reid's label, Epic Records, via Syco Music, after a shocking incident in 2016 where she received death threats and racist messages from people she didn't know who referred to her as "Normonkey." (via Entertainment Tonight)
Regardless of the threats, Normani continued performing, but she feared for her life from that moment.
"We just continued to do shows, and I was fearing for my life... But they continued to put me out there on the stage. It was pretty much like, 'The show goes on,'" she added.
Normani felt that it was the lowest point of her life, and the incident caused strained relationships with journalists, her record label, and her bandmates.
Normani Previously Shared Her Thoughts About Facing Racism Following Camila Cabello's Resurfaced Posts
A few years after receiving death threats, Camila Cabello's previous racist posts on Tumblr resurfaced on the internet. Normani responded to the issue in an email to Rolling Stone, where she noted that she faces "senseless attacks daily" for being a Black woman.
READ ALSO: Normani Finally Releases First Single From Debut Album 'Dopamine'
"It would be dishonest if I said that this particular scenario didn't hurt me. It was devastating that this came from a place that was supposed to be a safe haven and a sisterhood, because I knew that if the tables were turned I would defend each of them in a single heartbeat," she wrote at the time.
She then expressed her disappointment in how Cabello handled the incident, saying it took her a long time to acknowledge her wrongdoing. But she also hoped that the issue would be an important lesson.
Why Did Fifth Harmony Disband?
Fifth Harmony became famous after being formed on the reality TV singing competition show The X Factor. Initially, the members were Normani, Cabello, Dinah Jane, Ally Brooke, and Lauren Jauregui, but Cabello left the girl group in 2016 to pursue a solo career.
In 2018, the remaining members confirmed that they'd break up and embark on their solo careers.
READ MORE: Normani Raves About Beyoncé After Announcing 'Dopamine' Release Date
