When girl group Fifth Harmony imploded, it was clear that Camila Cabello had come out on top as a bonafide solo artist with her hit “Havana.” But fans knew the group had another star in the making: Normani.
For the past two years Normani has released a few songs featuring other artists (like “Love Lies” with Khalid, or appearing on Sam Smith’s “Dancing With a Stranger”) but nothing she could really call her own, despite having so much potential. But on Thursday night she dropped her new song and video “Motivation” and, oh my god, this girl is a star.
The video is a seamless homage to early-aughts R&B videos, as Normani dances in the rain like Ciara in “Gimme Dat” or strutting down an empty street in ripped jeans and a white tank-top like Beyoncé in the video for “Crazy In Love.” It’s a flex because in order to pull off any recreation of that era you need to really dance and, guess what, NORMANI CAN. I’m still stunned watching her bounce a basketball off her butt; is that animated or what? I honestly can’t tell.
Is it too late to nominate a song of the summer contender? Because “Motivation” is in the running now, one last fun pop song to get us through August before summer dries up.