R&B singer Normani is finally making a comeback in the music industry after taking a break due to her parents' cancer battles.
The 27-year-old artist had faced criticism for teasing new music over the past few years without sharing an official announcement or set dates for upcoming releases. In an exclusive interview with Who What Wear, she opened up about the constant feedback she received on social media regarding her absence from the music scene after releasing ‘Wild Side’ with Cardi B in 2021.
“Even though I’m quiet, I see everything. I see the comments on social media. I see people looking at me crazy—like, ‘Okay girl, it’s been how many years?’ she stated in the interview.
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However, she was candid when explaining why she delayed the release of her debut album due to her parents' health. Back in 2023, the ‘Motivation’ singer revealed that her father was diagnosed with cancer. Only a year earlier, Normani’s mom was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. Rather than focusing on her music career, she decided to take a break.
“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 shared in the Who What Wear interview.
While the singer acknowledged that music was a 'safe-haven' for her family, she said she wanted to focus on her parent’s recovery more than her music. The 'Wildside' singer explained to Power 106 in 2021 that her mom encouraged her to focus on work and releasing her music, but she wanted to be by their side.
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“For it to happen all over again, in such a pivotal and heightened moment for my career... there's so many moments I was like, 'I need to be at home' and I felt guilty for not being able to be physically there with her," she shared.
She did not disclose exactly how her parents are doing health-wise, but it shed light on many people who must step away from their careers and ambitions to care for their parents and maintain their mental health.
According to the Mayo Clinic, 1 in 3 adults in America are a family caregiver. Aside from the trauma of dealing with a sick family member, caregiver stress may also pose challenges. Feeling burdened or worried all the time is one of the main signs of caregiver stress. As Normani explained in previous interviews, she always wanted to be by her parents' side during this difficult time.
Other signs include feeling tired, sad, losing interest, and becoming easily angry. According to a survey from AARP, “ Half of caregivers (50%) said caregiving increased their level of emotional stress, while more than one-third (37%) said it impacted their physical feelings of stress.”
Despite the various emotional burdens one faces when a loved one is sick, there are many ways to protect your mental health. It could include joining support groups, seeking therapy, or asking for help when necessary. Self-care, however, is the most important thing. For others, this may include getting back to their favorite hobbies and passions. In the case of Normani, her music could be seen as a form of self-care.
"For me, this work that I was able to put out into the world really saved me, to be completely honest. Even just being on FaceTime with her as she's going through her chemo and her radiation, and just wanting me to update her on how this video is going, and how the music is coming, it really got her through that. It got my family through the darkest time of our lives,” she shared.
We hope that she continues to shine with her music comeback and her parents continue to get healthier during this difficult time.
