

How Fifth Harmony is Taking on Girl-Group Norms, Patriarchy and Rude Exes Reflection represents a promising first step for a girl group that has long been awaiting stardom and has quickly established itself as a wrecking crew of positive role models. Even when a song doesn’t come together, Fifth Harmony’s identity never falls apart. Working with a long list of songwriters and producers, Fifth Harmony show that they are capable of slick synth-pop, grungy hip-hop and fluttering R&B, the latter clearly indebted to the girl groups of the ’90s.

On Reflection, Fifth Harmony is giving teen girls a soundtrack to impenetrable control, refracted through the image of five females who forever have each other’s backs.īest of all: Most of the songs work. There are male collaborators like Kid Ink and Tyga, but they are left to operate in the background, and even on languishing anthems like “Sledgehammer,” the pining for romance is never coupled with insecurity or weakness. Back-to-back songs on Reflection mention Instagram filters, and what Ally, Camila, Dinah, Lauren and Normani lack in pop experience, they make up for in smartly placed adulation of icons like Mariah Carey (“Like Mariah”) and Beyonce (the title track).Įxclusive Video: Watch Fifth Harmony Share Little-Known Secrets About Each Otherīut Fifth Harmony is also taking things one step further: the back half of Reflection is basically a misandrist constitution, with the 5H ladies brushing off lazy dudes on “Suga Mama,” game-players on “We Know” and the flight-before-fight bros on “Going Nowhere.” The run of songs is (for this male listener) spectacular to digest, since Fifth Harmony’s laser focus never wavers. Fifth Harmony echoes those sentiments, while also showcasing them from a younger perspective.
FIFTH HARMONY WORTH IT SONG ON WHAT ALBUM FULL
Pop music is full of female artists offering healthy outlooks on issues like body image, sexuality, friendship and self-worth Rihanna has no time for male shenanigans, Katy Perry wants her fans to know that they are all fireworks, and Nicki Minaj spends more time objectifying men than getting fazed by them.
