When Normani’s breakout single “Motivation” hit airwaves in 2019, the hit was a refreshing throwback to what some might consider 90s R&B, making the song an immersive nostalgic experience for listeners who quickly hailed her as the up-and-coming R&B slash pop princess. The chart-topper lyrically recalled the tempo of Beyoncé’s “Check Up On It,” but it was her music video — which paid homage to the iconic 90s and early 00s era — that led her swiftly-assembling fandom to believe she was the latest derivative of Aaliyah’s blueprint and impact. Now, in her recent interview with W Magazine, Normani is confirming that the era is indeed on her mood board and that she draws inspiration from none other than the late “Rock The Boat” singer.
“I come from a super pop girl group, but I grew up listening to 90s R&B, which is pretty much what I still listen to every single day,” the former Fifth Harmony member said. Her standalone single similarly displays the feel-good club vibe that was infused into the R&B genre three decades ago. When asked of her style icons, Normani listed some of the fashion-forward darlings of the decade like Naomi Campbell, Toni Braxton, and of course, Aaliyah herself. Both the late triple threat and newcomer Normani’s allure is a perfect alchemy of a trendsetting style that situates them in a league outside of their peers and an enchanting girl-next-door persona.
know it’s been awhile pic.twitter.com/aeXfM8lzOo
— Normani (@Normani) February 13, 2021
Earlier this year, Normani also shared a snippet of her much-anticipated new music, and Aaliyah’s inspiration was once again very present. The singer posted a 20-second video of herself to Twitter with a sneak peak of her vocals atop a sample of Aaliyah‘s 1996 track ‘One In A Million.’ Captioning the post, “Know it’s been awhile,” the snippet is the latest teaser for her forthcoming untitled debut album. Normani last released music over a year ago with her collab single “Diamonds,” with Megan Thee Stallion for the DC film Birds Of Prey.
