Fifth Harmony speak out against racism

Far from home on a world tour to promote their second album 7/27, the group’s Normani Kordei said she feared for the lives of her father and male relatives.

The 20-year-old singer was both praised and trolled for her passionate Twitter post in the wake of the recent police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

“For me it’s hard, especially being a young African-American woman. My dad doesn’t look like what you might call the ‘safe’ African-American male that America would accept, if you know what I mean,” she said in Sydney on Tuesday.

“It definitely scares me. What if I don’t get to see my father again because he is shot down. Or my uncles. It’s really crazy.

“It’s hard for me to believe that the KKK still exists, especially knowing all my ancestors have been through. I feel like the history and meaning of all we have been through has been trashed.

“I think it’s all about people loving each other and having compassion, accepting one another and educating themselves.

“I’ve seen a lot of hate. I got a lot of flak about posting that because I hashtagged Black Lives Matter. That doesn’t mean all other lives don’t matter.”

The group want to be part of a new campaign to encourage young people to vote in the US Presidential elections in November.

And they would welcome a We Are The World-style song featuring some of the biggest names in pop music today to promote social change and address racism.

Beyonce, Jay-Z, Drake, Janelle Monae, Vic Mensa and Run The Jewels are among the high-profile musicians to speak out on the social justice issue and killings as well as in support of Dallas law enforcement after five police who were killed by sniper Micah Johnson.

Lauren Jauregui said she believed many artists wouldn’t speak out because “they are worried about losing followers; it’s so sad.”

“Music is people’s escape, a distraction from the other things happening in their lives and I think that’s why musicians sometimes walk that line between being politically correct and having to take a stand,” she said.

“We are the influencers of a generation, people do look up to us, kids do listen to what we have to say, they listen to our music and they feel. Art speaks about the times and it reflects the times.

“And I think it’s time right now that artists need to come together and inspire people to change.”

Kordei, Jauregi and Camila Cabello, Dinah Jane Hansen, who was linked to Jarryd Hayne last year, and Ally Brooke were launched as Fifth Harmony after appearing on America’s X Factor in 2012.

They have enjoyed several top 50 hits including the breakthrough Worth It last year and Work From Home (featuring Ty Dolla $ign) and current single All In My Head (Flex) with Fetty Wap.

Their 7/27 album has scored rave reviews, with many critics hailing them as the next Spice Girls.

Brooke insists their songs and videos are more “flirtatious” than overtly sexualised, while Jane jokes their shirtless male co-stars in the Work from Home video got more attention than they did.

Fifth Harmony, Work From Home

“We didn’t really show that much skin in Work From Home; there were more comments on the men. They were hotter than us!” she said.

Jauregi defended Fifth Harmony against any criticisms about sexy outfits or dance moves and said anyone pointing at pop music for influencing the sexual expression of young women had it wrong.

“Girls start puberty when we’re 11 so that whole taboo about women not being sexual beings at a young age is not a reality,” she said.

“We’re young women and I feel we do a tasteful job of expressing our sexuality. We will continue to grow and explore that because that’s part of being a woman.”