Normani is determined to "celebrate" herself after releasing her debut solo album

The 28-year-old singer - who shot to stardom as a teenager in the chart-topping girl group - told Vogue: "I think a weight has been lifted, for sure.

"It's been such a long journey and process for me, and I know everything that I've endured and put into this, so I'm just doing my best to be present and grant myself some grace and celebrate myself."

Normani has jokingly suggested that she was "born in the wrong generation" as an artist, as she's so fond of music from the "late '90s and early 2000s".

The singer - who collaborated with Cardi B on the 2021 hit single 'Wild Side' - also feels that she evolved "as a woman" while making her new album.

Normani explained: "I feel like the first time I defined my own sound was with 'Wild Side'. Still, to this day, that's one of my favourite records that I feel wholeheartedly just represents me and represents stylistically the type of music that made me fall in love with music from a very early age - Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, the nostalgia of it all.

"I always joke that I feel like I was born in the wrong generation, because my favourite era is undeniably the late '90s and early 2000s.

"I started this process a very long time ago, and I've learned a lot more about myself not only as an artist, but as a woman too."