Camila Cabello And Normani Rebuild Friendship After Past Controversy; Reflect On Growth And Healing

After years of tension following Camila Cabello's departure from Fifth Harmony and the resurfacing of past controversial posts, the former bandmates are reconnecting.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Dec 04, 2024 | 02:23 PM IST | 11.5K

Camila Cabello and Normani (via Instagram)

Camila Cabello and Normani are rebuilding their friendship, with the two reconnecting during Paris Fashion Week in September.

After years of tension following Cabello’s departure from Fifth Harmony in 2016 and the resurfacing of past controversial posts, the two are finding their way back to a time when they were really close. Cabello shared that the recent interaction with Normani has given their relationship a fresh perspective.

“It doesn’t feel like we’re strangers,” Cabello said in an interview with Nylon. “We’re getting back to the times when we were really close.” She recalled how they used to laugh together without a care in the world. “The past couple of times I’ve seen her, I say something, and she laughs really hard,” she added.

The bond between Cabello and Normani was severely strained in 2020 after offensive, racially insensitive posts were found on Cabello’s Tumblr page. The resurfaced content included racist memes and slurs directed at African Americans, which upset Normani.

In an emotional statement at the time, Normani shared how the discovery affected her. "It was devastating," she said, adding that she struggled with how to address the situation. "I didn’t want it to be a part of my narrative, but I am a Black woman, who is a part of an entire generation that has a similar story.”

Cabello responded publicly to the criticism, apologizing for her past behavior. She also opened up about the steps she took to heal, including attending racial healing sessions. In an interview with Teen Vogue in 2021, Cabello shared that she had learned much from her past mistakes and was working on being more sensitive to issues of race and culture.

Since their falling out, both artists have focused on their solo careers while slowly repairing their relationship. Cabello acknowledged Normani’s strength and success as she worked to carve out her own path in the music industry.

In a show of support for Normani’s debut album, which was released on June 14, 2024, Cabello posted a comment on Instagram, offering her congratulations. “Putting out a project is vulnerable and hard, and you are doing it beautifully! Congratulations on your first album and many more to come,” she wrote.

Normani responded with gratitude and encouragement. “Thank you so much for this. This seriously means a lot, and so v proud of you. You’re next, let’s gooooo,” she replied, showing her support for Cabello's future success.

Despite the group’s separation in 2018, the members of Fifth Harmony have managed to stay supportive of one another. Cabello has spoken in the past about how she and her former bandmates have continued to support each other over social media. In 2022, she shared, “We have been supportive of each other through, like DMs and stuff. I’m in a really good place with them.”

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