Normani

Fifth Harmony hits such as “Worth It” established Normani Kordei as a strong, soulful R&B singer, but the vocalist shows off even more range as a solo artist. On the trap-kissed 2018 Khalid collaboration “Love Lies”, she dips into her lower register, lending gravitas to lyrics questioning a potential partner’s intentions. In contrast, singing with Sam Smith on 2019’s “Dancing with a Stranger”, Normani matches their aching croon with an expressive, longing tone. Born in 1996, the avowed Beyoncé superfan grew up in New Orleans and Houston—her family moved to Texas after Hurricane Katrina—and recorded her first song at age 13. She competed as an individual singer on The X Factor USA in 2012 before pairing up with her future Fifth Harmony bandmates on the show. After officially going solo in 2018, she increased her output considerably: the next year, she issued the glossy R&B-pop song “Motivation” (a co-write with Ariana Grande) and teamed up with Grande and Nicki Minaj for the dancehall-inspired Charlie’s Angels soundtrack song “Bad to You”. Subsequent collaborations—for example, a 2020 team-up with fellow Houston upstart Megan Thee Stallion on the bouncy hip-hop track “Diamonds”—hint that the sonic sky’s the limit for Normani.