This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Fainite Auguste. Find her on Instagram at @ceilingdancing. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
In case you may have missed it, these past few weeks thousands of people have mentioned a name that hasn’t been relevant in years. Thanks to the TikToker Nmilz1, what started as a light-hearted joke has turned into a Fifth Harmony renaissance.
Who is Fifth Harmony?
Fifth Harmony was an American girl group composed of five people, Normani, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke, and Camila Cabello. They all auditioned as solo artists on the second season of The X Factor but were told they didn’t have the star power to make it on their own. Still trying to chase the success of One Direction, Simon Cowell gave the girls the ultimatum of joining the group. Of course, they said yes on the spot. Cowell signed the girls to his label Syco Records and L.A. Reid’s label Epic Records on January 17, 2013. They immediately were put to work and continued nonstop for four years.
The Rise of Fifth Harmony
Their debut single “Miss Movin’ On” was released on July 16, 2013, as the lead from their EP Better Together. This era of music was very sweet and targeted at tween girls. The music video aired on Disney Channel and also played on Radio Disney often. The group quickly pivoted to a more mature look and focused more on teen girls.
Their Debut Album, Reflection had some hits. For example the, lead single, “Boss.” It was 2014, and it is a product of its time. The lyric “swipe my card, then I do the nae nae,” is hilarious looking back at it. The second single from Reflection, “Sledgehammer”, is an upbeat earworm of a song. It also took over the radio and character the Billboard Top 100.
As well as releasing music 5th Harmony also performed basically any chance they got. By May of 2014, the group was already on its fourth tour! By then it was clear to see that the group was not coordinated. The dancing was off and the members were often competing for the mic. They were constantly trying to outdo one another. Although the youngest Camila Cabello was deemed the most talented of the group. She even received 50 percent of the lyrics in songs.
The Fall of Fifth Harmony
After many more months of touring and performing Fifth Harmony released the album “7/27” in 2016. The lead single, “Work from Home”, featured Rapper Ty Dolla Sign on it and it was much more mature than anything else they done. The whole song is one big innuendo for sex. However; It was impossible to escape this song it was on the radio constantly and for good reason. The chorus was catchy and easy to learn. The word “work” is repeated about 30 times in the chorus alone.
The music video that accompanies the song is pretty well done, the members are on a construction site dancing and singing on the construction workers. Work from Home hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100. From the outside It seemed like there couldn’t possibly be an end insight for the group.
Behind the scenes, the girls were overworked and did not have good relationships with one another. An audio leaked of Lauren crying to Lauren about how overworked they were and that they weren’t receiving anything. The contract with the label was borderline illegal, the members hired the lawyer Dina LaPolt in 2015 to renegotiate their contract.
The group announced via Twitter on December 18, 2016, that Cabello left the group and that they were blindsided by her decision. They stated that the remaining four members would continue as performing together as a group. You remember the 2017 VMA performance where what looks to be a Camila Cabello replica is removed from the stage.
Just like the bands that came before them Fifth Harmony announced that they were taking an indefinite hiatus and they would focus on their own careers.
The Renaissance
The TikToker Noah Miller Posted a TikTok at the beginning of February using the audio from Fifth Harmony’s “All in My Head (Flex).” Due to Miller’s massive following and influence, it sparked a conversation about the girl group. Less than two weeks later four out of five members acknowledged the videos Miller posted. People are now reminiscing about the 5th Harmony era and what they liked and hated about it.
Are you participating in the Fifth Harmony Renaissance? What was your favorite song or album? let us know!
Leave a Reply