Normani: “Liberating” debut album is “a representation of everything I’ve gone through”
Normani has spoken about her long-awaited debut album ‘Dopamine’, saying it will represent everything she has “gone through to get to this moment.”
Earlier this week (February 22), the Atlanta singer unveiled the cover art and name of her first-ever solo full-length record. The announcement comes after she teased the record in January, saying it is “literally the best music she’s ever made”. In other posts, she confirmed that the album will be released sometime this year, though she did not reveal a concrete launch date.
In a new cover story with Who What Wear, it is said that Normani’s upcoming record will be a subtle shift from the hip-hop and R&B-leaning pop music she has released before. The 27-year-old described the album’s sonic as “a representation of [her] evolution.”
“For me, this upcoming album is not just about music coming out,” she said. “It feels like a representation of everything I’ve gone through to get to this moment. The album feels like liberation, like a season of freedom. Not just because the record is finally coming out, but because it’s a celebration of everything.”
The wait has been worth it. After years of anticipation, @Normani is stepping back into the spotlight on her own terms. Having just announced her debut album, Dopamine, she says it “feels like liberation, like a season of freedom. Not just because the record is finally coming… pic.twitter.com/UFOipAy2rm
— Who What Wear (@WhoWhatWear) February 22, 2024
Normani also revealed that she took time away from music after finding out both of her parents had cancer.
“All I wanted to do was be there for them,” she said. “Honestly, music got them through the cancer treatments. I remember being on FaceTime with my mom while she was undergoing chemo and her asking me, ‘How’s the studio today? How’s the music coming?”
She added: “As hard as it was for me to not be with them as much as I wanted to, ultimately, pushing through made the circumstances of the last few years feel a bit lighter for my parents.”
The singer rose to fame as part of the girl group Fifth Harmony, formed with the help of Simon Cowell on The X Factor US. Despite not winning the competition show, the group went on the huge success – releasing five platinum singles and three Top Five Billboard 200 albums before they went on an indefinite hiatus in 2017.
Normani told Who What Wear she “needed time, experiences, and space” after Fifth Harmony disbanded so she could “become the version of [her]self [she] needed to be.”
‘Dopamine’ will be released later this year via RCA Records. You can pre-save the album here.
It’s unknown whether her 2019 debut solo single ‘Motivation’, which was co-written by Ariana Grande, will be on Dopamine’. The song has since gone platinum in the US and its nostalgic ’00s-inspired accompanying music video currently has 185million views on YouTube.
Since then, Normani teamed up with Megan Thee Stallion for ‘Diamonds’, a single from the soundtrack for the DC movie, Birds Of Prey. In a four-star review, NME called the track an “exuberant female power anthem that perfectly balances sass and intimidating cuteness.”
She also lent her vocals on Cardi B‘s sultry ‘Wild Side’ and Calvin Harris‘ funk-inspired ‘Next To You’ – the latter also featured Tinashe and Offset. In 2021, the Atlanta star released her second-ever solo single, ‘Fair’.
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