Love Affair With Life ( Normani )

BOSS

"You ain't talkin' 'bout nothin', I ain't got no time, Got that dinero on my mind" -Beyoncé

March 6th 2018 11:00am.

Normani

"So Normani, how does it feel to be entering a solo career?"

I was doing an interview for Billboard, in hopes of getting more buzz for me and Khalid's new single and upcoming performance on the BBMAs in a couple of months.

"Its really exciting. This whole process has been bitter sweet."

"How so?"

"Well of course I miss my girls. Its weird when you spend roughly six years constantly around each other, only to wake up one day and be on your own. But because of that I'm able to explore myself in ways that I've never imagined."

"What have you learned about yourself since leaving Fifth Harmony?"

"I'm learning more about what I actually like and dislike. I'm learning that I'm more creative than I give my credit for, and now that im at the core of everything, I have the resources and freedom to bring my creativity to life."

"Wow, sounds to me like the group really held you back."

Here they go trying to get a headline. I prevent myself from rolling my eyes, and respond to the statement.

"I wouldn't say that at all. Its true that you're not able to do everything you want to do creatively. In a group there's other people involved, so naturally your opinion isn't the only one that matters. Also the group has its own identity that is separate from each of us individually, so we each had to sacrifice a part of ourselves for the group in many ways. But that's what happens when you're put into a group that wasn't exactly your own creation, you don't get to have as much of a say in the direction the group goes in. All that being said the group helped me tremendously. I wouldn't be where I am now without it."

In what ways would you say the group helped you?

"Well for one I was extremely shy and wasn't very confident in myself. Fifth Harmony allowed me to hone my craft while not having all eyes on me because I had 4 other girls next to me. Also the group taught me a lot about the music industry. I now make sure I'm very hands on in the business aspect of career as well as artistically, just to avoid certain pitfalls in this industry."

"Do you wish that Fifth Harmony went in a different direction creatively?"

"In some ways yes, I grew up listening to pop but the real passion I have for music comes from artists that lean more R&B and that's the type of music I initially wanted to create going into X-factor. But once in the group, I was just happy to have been given the opportunity, and to not be sent home."

"Do you think people behind the scenes took advantage of the fact that you were just happy to be in the spaces that you girls were in?"

"Definitely, especially in the moments where I had low confidence and questioned my talent. But the experience I gained being in Fifth Harmony, positive or negative is what made me so prepared for this moment. I now know what type of things to look out for in my solo career, and although I came into the music game with a desire to make R&B style music. I realize I don't want to put myself inside of a genre box and just do R&B, even though that will always be my one of my favorite genres. Fifth Harmony also gave me a group of girls that helped me get through some very tough moments in my life. I cannot even imagine being thrown into those situations by myself at 15 years old, it'd be a mess" I laugh nervously. Man why am I so awkward in interviews.