“Music is me through and through,” Normani told Who What Wear‘s Jasmine Fox Suliaman during the course of formulating the publication’s latest cover story.
“When I’m onstage, you can’t tell me that I’m not home. It’s just a part of who I am.”
There’s no questioning how much music means to the chart-topping star, but she acknowledges that there are things more important than music. As she parted ways with Fifth Harmony and fans eagerly awaited the release of her first solo project, the vocalist learned that both of her parents would begin cancer treatment. After learning of their upcoming treatments, Normani put everything on hold to be there for her parents, including the release of her debut album.
“Fuck all of this. This is bigger than the music,” she explained.
“It’s bigger than what I’m trying to accomplish. This is life or death. All I wanted to do was be there for them.”
Despite the challenges facing her and her parents, Normani continued to release singles like “Motivation” and “Love Lies” with Khalid. Through it all, her parents were encouraging her to continue to pursue her passions.
“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 recalled.
“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.”
As the year gets going, Normani continues to lean into her music, her faith and her family. Earlier this week, she announced the title of her debut album, Dopamine, and shared artwork for the upcoming LP.
“I know everything I’ve been through isn’t in vain. There’s always something that God wants me to see in the season,” she said.
“It’s all in service of making me better for all that he actually has in store for me.”
