Normani Felt Hidden Being the Only Black Girl in Fifth Harmony: ‘I Don’t Think They Knew How’ to Be There for Me

Over six years since girl group Fifth Harmony disbanded, Normani is opening up about her experiences in the group.

Normani joined Keke Palmer and Law Roach for the latter’s How to Build a Fashion Icon: Notes on Confidence from the World’s Only Image Architect book launch at Neuehouse in Hollywood on Wednesday evening.. Palmer and the former Fifth Harmony member shared their experiences with using fashion as an extension of themselves.

For Normani, she explains that fashion was a way to be “vocal” as a Black woman in the music industry. “I felt I could really depend and rely on my fashion to speak for me, which was really an outlet,” she told the crowd.

She also got candid about her time in Fifth Harmony, and what the transition into independence was like.

“It all ended so fast at a very high level,” Normani said about going from a group to a solo career. “I was just really grateful to have the opportunity to do things my way because I felt like for so long, I felt hidden.”

She further went on to say she often felt that she had to “do the most in order to be seen.”

“I was the only Black girl. 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,” the “1:59” singer said.

Normani’s highly anticipated solo debut, Dopamine, was released on June 14, supported by lead singles “1:59” featuring Gunna, “Candy Paint,” and “All Yours.”

Former bandmate Camila Cabello congratulated the singer on her album release, writing on Instagram, “putting out a project is vulnerable and hard and you are doing it beautifully ! congratulations on your first album and many more to come !!!!!!!! 🚀🩵.”

The pair eventually reunited at Paris Fashion Week. Cabello posted the photo to her Instagram alongside others from the trip, captioned, “real miami girl in paris.”

As for a Fifth Harmony reunion, Normani shut down the rumors after Ally Brooke appeared to tease one. She didn’t write it off completely, telling Billboard, “I definitely see that being a possibility in the future. That would be a special moment for sure.”