Normani Says Being The Black Girl in Fifth Harmony ‘Took a Toll’ On Her Confidence, Questions If Her Solo Music is ‘Black Enough’

Normani made her solo debut after parting ways with Fifth Harmony and she says her time in the group took a toll on her confidence.

The “Motivation” group talked feeling like the Black sheep for her Women’s Health cover story. “[It] alters the perception you have of yourself. Having certain things happen so blatantly while also feeling like the ‘other’ and being so young and hearing the public compare [us] took a toll on my confidence.”

She added, “For a long time, I didn’t believe in myself because I didn’t feel like I was given the opportunity to.”

Now Normani has positive affirmations to remind herself who she is. “I look at myself in the mirror and manifest and speak things that I want to happen as if they already did as if I’m already that version of myself.”

Although she is now a solo act, the singer still battles with her self-doubt and appealling to her own demographic. “For a long time, I was stressed out about checking boxes like, ‘Is this Black enough? Is this pop enough?’ But music started feeling way better when I just went into the studio with the mentality of being Normani. People will always remember how you made them feel and what a record did for them. My lyrics have more depth, and they’re more intentional and come from a more authentic place, because I now feel more connected to myself than before.”

Normani is hopeful for the future and is looking forward to growing as an artist. “I’m at home when I’m onstage. I don’t feel misunderstood, judged, like I have to fit inside a barrier. I feel like I can be anything. Hopefully, in the next few years I’ll have life a little bit more figured out,” she later added. “But if I don’t, I’m okay. I don’t think we ever have it all figured out. But anything that God has placed on my heart, I want to be fearless in.”