Normani Shares Title And Cover Art For Long-Awaited Debut Solo Album
After countless teasing over the past six years, 2024 will finally give us Normani‘s highly anticipated debut solo album.
On Wednesday (Feb. 21), the singer revealed the official title, DOPAMINE, and the cover art that shows a bikini-clad Normani straddling a black rocket ship.
“Cryingg typing this rn. DOPAMINE THE ALBUM,” wrote the 27-year-old on Instagram. The news came not long after the singer cleared her socials, which had become a trend for artists to signal a new era.
In addition to the news of the album title, Normani also previewed a new single. “When I get you alone, boy what you gon’ do with this/ Don’t talk too much/ Just do this s**t,” she sings.
Since splitting from Fifth Harmony, her solo singles including “Wild Side” featuring Cardi B and “Motivation,” have been keeping fans on edge waiting for the full album.
Of the new album, she explained to WhoWhatWear, “It’s a representation of my evolution. It’s the version of me that’s been through some things over the course of the last few years.” The writer, Jasmine Fox-Suliaman noted, “Much of the sound we’ve come to associate with Normani has been rooted in a hybrid of pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B with prominent bouncing beats and catchy hooks. The new songs feel as if they represent the bridge from where she was to where she is now in her life. It’s not a complete pivot, as they still have the signature elements of Normani’s sonic repertoire, but they indicate a subtle shift.”
When speaking on her various hiatuses, Normani expressed, “I know I needed time, experiences, and space coming out of [Fifth Harmony] in order to become the version of myself I needed to be. Without [all of that], I would not be able to exist within the creative space that I am in now. I would not be able to make the type of music I’m making now.”
She’s previously opened up about the personal reasons why she stepped away from the music, which included both of her parents going through cancer treatments. “F**k all of this. This is bigger than the music. 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,” she stated.
However, with DOPAMINE, Normani says, “The album feels like liberation, like a season of freedom. Not just because the record is finally coming out, but because it’s a celebration of everything I have been through to get to this moment. During this process, I heard God say to me, ‘Trust me. I know you’re afraid, but trust me anyway. Dare to trust me anyway. Now is the time.’”
An official release date for DOPAMINE has not been confirmed, but fans can subscribe to wheresthedamnalbum.com for updates.