It was all a dream.
Normani continues on her path to solo stardom with the throwback video for her new single “Motivation.” The dance-heavy clip, directed by Dave Meyers and Daniel Russell, pays homage to some classic videos from the early 2000s, including Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” and Jennifer Lopez’ “I’m Real.”
The visual opens with the former Fifth Harmony singer as a child watching BET’s “106 & Park” in her grandmother’s living room before she imagines herself starring in the videos, starting with “Crazy in Love.” She hits the basketball court and the streets, showing off her moves a la J.Lo, before dancing in the rain backed by a marching band, finishing off with a dazzling finale.
She drew inspiration from some of her favorite artists. “y’all know I love the early 2000’s,” tweeted Normani.
The irresistible bop was co-written by Ariana Grande. Normani opened for her “Sweetener World Tour” earlier this year. “i’m so proud of u @Normani,” tweeted Ariana, to which Normani replied, “i love you so much. thank you for believing in me the way that you have sis and for being my biggest cheerleader 🖤😢✨ we got a smashhhhh !!!!!!”
Normani is now readying her highly-anticipated solo debut. “I want this album to represent and encompass all that Normani is,” she told GRAMMY.com.