Before breaking out as a solo artist, Normani was part of the girl group Fifth Harmony. Now, the 23-year-old has opened up about her time in the five-member band and revealed that she never had the chance to showcase her true self.

“I don’t feel like while I was in the group anyone saw the truest version of me,” she said in an interview with Fader. “I wasn’t allowed the opportunity to showcase that. I’m not able to go in the way that I want to [because] of what the group was.

The “Motivation” singer also admitted to feeling like she wasn’t enough when it came to contributing to the group’s music

“It’s like, okay, well, what do I not have to offer that everybody else is able to? she explained. “We would be like, ‘yo, we want to write it, we want to contribute, we have perspective. We’re not just girls that you put in a girl group’.”

This isn’t the first time Normani has spoken out about being in Fifth Harmony. Back in November, she revealed to Cosmopolitan that she would hide behind the other girls in the group.

“I remember always being asked, ‘Why do you wanna be in a girl group? So you can hide?’” she admitted when looking back on her shy personality. “And that’s exactly what I was trying to do. I’m not sure what that turning point was, but I was like, Normani is enough. You can be onstage and perform and you can be enough.”

Despite all the hardships, the songstress told Fader that said the five girls were always resilient when they were together.

“[We were] five girls coming together and really beating the odds,” she said. “Five girls that made something so beautiful, and had the impact that they had, with their fans and being able to change lives. We’re some strong women.”

Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.