Normani Opens Up About Finding Confidence In Her Skin
At only 25, Normani has already faced many hardships in the music industry. As the only Black member in Fifth Harmony, she previously opened up about not having the same opportunities as her group members and facing online racism from their fans. And since going solo, Normani keeps getting compared to her former group member Camilla Cabello, who faced backlash in 2019 for resurfaced racist posts from her Tumblr page.
In a 2020 Women’s Health issue, the “Wild Side” singer admitted that the racist comments she received in the group “altered the perception” she had about herself, but she has since learned from those experiences and has found the confidence that has been there all along.
"I constantly remind myself to be kind to myself," she shared in an interview with Yahoo Life! "Even though you can't expect the rest of the world to do that, it's like at the end of the day, somebody has to, so why not show up for yourself? Why not lift yourself up?"
There were many people in Normani’s life that helped her to see her worth and appreciate her beauty as well as entertainers that influenced her to love herself.
"A lot of that has to do with being raised in a household with women that I really, really looked up to,” she said. “That being my grandmother, that being my mom. And then my dad being the first man in my life that I love and him always encouraging that I was beautiful."
Beyoncé and Janet Jackson also served as her role models in music, which isn’t surprising. Normani’s performance style is often compared to the two megastars and her 2019 music video “Motivation” paid homage to Beyoncé’s iconic “Crazy in Love” video.
"I feel the pressures too. Being a Black woman, just to be seen or noticed, we have to do a lot more and work 10 times as hard," she said. "It was so important for me to have a Janet [Jackson] and have a [Beyoncé] with curves to find my place and to also know that, 'Okay she looks like me. And she's successful. She's beautiful and I can do the same thing.' Little Black me needed to see that."
But they weren’t the “Fair” singer’s only influence. In 2021, Normani praised Kelly Rowland for helping chocolate women like herself feel seen. "Kelly Rowland is someone I've always looked up to and never felt like I couldn't go to for advice," she revealed. She also said the “Kisses Down Low” singer “was a great person all around."
Normani is working on her solo debut album and her latest single “Fair,” has been receiving rave reviews.
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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