In “Big Boy”—the introductory song from her inaugural album, Dopamine—Normani asserts she’s stepped into the spotlight. “Only ever see this type of stuff in the cinema,” she declares amid resounding horns and rattling drums. “Only ever witness this kind of event once in your existence.” Coupled with the eye-catching album cover, which shows Normani attached to a glistening black missile, it conveys a clear message: Normani is at last prepared for takeoff.
“Finally” because, as any Normani fan is aware, it has been a lengthy journey to takeoff. Initially gaining recognition as part of Fifth Harmony—the female group that turned out to be The X Factor’s biggest triumph, by selling close to 15 million records in the U.S. alone—Normani appeared to be the member most suited for solo stardom, thanks to her impeccable taste and astonishing talents as a dancer and entertainer. And, with a series of joint singles that reached the top 10, along with the Max Martin-produced track “Motivation,” which was lauded for its energetic pop vibe and Y2K retro video, she commenced her solo career with impact.
However, as time moved forward, the gap between Normani’s start as a solo artist—she initially declared an album was forthcoming six years prior—and the launch of that album has been a topic of intense conversation. (Indeed, the URL for the site announcing Dopamine cheekily states wheresthedamnalbum.com.) Lately, it became known that the postponements were partly due to both of her parents being diagnosed with cancer, leading to a period when Normani’s focus was, naturally, on her family rather than her profession. (They have both since recuperated.) Nevertheless, her fan’s eagerness about the project has remained unwavering—a truth she is appreciative of. “It’s been a journey of perseverance, so I’m most thrilled about completing what I began, finally,” she shares with Vogue about releasing the album.
Completing it she has, and impressively so. Dopamine is filled to the brim with genre-crossing tracks that pay homage to some of Normani’s most significant influences: the booming beats of Timbaland, the effortlessly daring lyrics of Missy Elliott, the velvety-smooth harmonies of Brandy. (The latter even features on the standout song “Insomnia,” her airy ad-libs woven through the backdrop.) But it also highlights Normani’s more tender aspect, especially on the ambient James Blake collaboration “Tantrums,” which narrates the breakdown of a relationship over echo-drenched synths and fragmented rhythms. As it turns out, Dopamine was entirely worth the wait—and with its whirlwind exploration through the chronicles of R&B, it fully meets the exhilarating promise of its name.