Not all of Normani‘s memories of Fifth Harmony are, well, harmonious.
As the only Black member of the famed girl group—they announced their indefinite hiatus in 2018 after six years together—the 24-year-old faced treatment that had a rippling impact on her self-image and confidence.
“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 told Women’s Health as the December cover star. “For a long time, I didn’t believe in myself because I didn’t feel like I was given the opportunity to.”
The star elaborated on her experience in the group in a 2019 Billboard interview, referencing the time when she was the only member who sang background vocals on the track “No Way.”
“So many sessions,” she told Billboard, “I would cry like I’ve never cried before.”