Normani On Embracing Her Blackness: “I Felt Like Showing Up For Myself”

In her review of Normani’s first album, “Dopamine”, Mankaprr Conteh highlights the pop-R&B singer’s “creative reverence” for Black culture throughout the thirteen tracks. More than anything else, Normani made it a point to be loyal to her identity as a Black woman throughout the whole of the album. It was crucial to do so. Not Feeling Like She Could Represent Her Blackness In an interview with Rolling Stone, Normani said that she felt as if she was “showing up” for herself by embracing her Blackness. This was in response to her feeling as though she had to suppress her Blackness when she was a member of Fifth Harmony. “Before, I definitely wasn’t able to be all that I am and have that be represented,” she told Rolling Stone, “which is why it means so much, especially when selecting records or when in the studio creating specific songs, for me to feel like I’m showing up for myself.” “I am not only demonstrating my Blackness by turning there, but I am also aware of the fact that I am a Black woman who is involved in the pop music industry. Because of where I come from, it is also a part...