Pop singer Normani has opened up about the old racist social media posts from former Fifth Harmony bandmate Camila Cabello, and her experience in the singing group as well.
In the interview with Rolling Stone, the star revealed how “hurt” she was by Cabello's social media posts, which recently resurfaced. Normani opened up about even more racial abuse that she faced from internet trolls while performing with the group, too.
She stated, “It would be dishonest if I said that this particular scenario didn't hurt me,” and that “It was devastating that this came from a place that was supposed to be a safe haven and a sisterhood, because I knew that if the tables were turned I would defend each of them in a single heartbeat. It took days for her to acknowledge what I was dealing with online and then years for her to take responsibility for the offensive tweets that recently resurfaced. Whether or not it was her intention, it made me feel like I was second to the relationship that she had with her fans.”
In a blog that resurfaced in the past year, posts from Camila Cabello featured racist memes, jokes, and repeated use of the N-word, for which the singer apologized later on, calling her actions “embarrassingly ignorant.”
In Cabello's apology, she stated, “I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart…I would never intentionally hurt anyone and I regret it from the bottom of my heart. …Once you know better, you do better, and that's all I can do.”
Normani also revealed her feelings while being in the band, saying she felt like she was automatically labeled as “the dancer”, and how it felt to have her vocals even taken off of a song.
About that experience, the star said, “I was devastated. So many things start to go through your mind, like 'Maybe this is my fault? What could I have done differently? Am I not working hard enough? Am I not as talented? What's wrong with my voice?'”