David Lyman, Enquirer Contributor 11:08 a.m. EDT July 16, 2015
The members of Fifth Harmony three of them, at least are a little groggy this morning. Its 8:15 a.m. in Los Angeles, an hour thats probably a little early for the five high-flying members of one of pop musics most popular girl groups.
But if theyre regretting that they agreed to this phone interview, theyre hiding it well. Their onstage persona may be on the saucy side, but they have a reputation as being anything but. Theyve partnered with a number of laudable charities across the country, from hospitals and anti-bullying campaigns to the Girl Scouts of America.
Yeah, it may be savvy marketing. But theyre consistent about it. And to date, the only thing that has landed them in headlines has been the success of their music.
Besides, theyre entitled to be a little tired. When we spoke, they were less than three weeks away from the opening of Reflection: The Summer Tour, which brings them to Riverbend Music Centers PNC Pavilion Saturday night.
Theyre crammed around a single speaker phone and its sometimes hard to tell whos saying what, so if anyone is misidentified, its done without the slightest bit of malice.
This isnt bad, says Ally Brooke Hernandez who, at 22, is the oldest of the group. Her voice is pretty crackly, though. Weve had much worse. Really. When we did the Today show, we had to get up at 1 a.m.
Groans all around. They all remember it.
Weve got tea, she adds. That helps get your voice started in the morning.
Fifth Harmonys journey to success has been filled with unexpected twists. Back in 2012, all five members auditioned for Simon Cowells X Factor TV show. But they werent a group then. In fact, they didnt even know one another. All five auditioned as soloists.
They made it through the first few rounds. But when it came time to move forward into the Judges Houses, they didnt make the cut.
It was a shock, says Normani Kordei. I think all of us were used to being successes in everything we did, especially with our singing.
But as it turned out, their X Factor ride wasnt finished quite yet. Cowell obviously saw something he liked. Both he and fellow judge L.A. Reid had been downright enthusiastic about a couple of their auditions. Reid went so far as to call Lauren Jaureguis performance a perfect audition. She had just turned 16 at the time.
So Cowell approached the five singers proposed that they try again with his help, of course as a group. After a couple of name changes, they became Fifth Harmony and copped third place in season two of X Factor.
Thank heaven we all gelled, says Dinah Jane Hansen, who at 18 her birthday was June 22 is the youngest member of the group. I was quite timid at first. You know, youre used to singing on your own and suddenly youre in a group.
Cowell and members of his organization seem to have given them extraordinarily good counsel, though. There was no effort to turn them into overnight megastars. A few months after the show ended, they released their Better Together EP and did well-publicized mini-performances in shopping malls.
By the end of the year, they had a national concert hall tour and were introduced as one of Demi Lovatos opening acts for Neon Lights Tour.
Besides finding their musical voices, theyve learned to use their ever-higher profile to crusade for favorite causes.
Were all pretty outspoken, says Kordei. We know how lucky weve been to get an opportunity like this. Now that people are listening to us, we like to share our ideas, too.
That meant that they were eager to perform as part of the L.A. Pride celebrations. And to speak about feminism. And to support causes aimed at the tweeners who are one of their core audiences. And then theres the power of racial diversity.
They dont have to talk much about it because they demonstrate it. Black, white, Hispanic, Polynesian. One of them Camila Cabello was born in Cuba. Unlike most pop music groups, Fifth Harmony looks like 21st Century America.
Thats cool, isnt it? says Hernandez. We are all from different parts of the world, but we have learned how to work together. So yeah, I hope lots of people see us and see our diversity. Everyone can learn something from that. Everyone can see themselves in us.
Fifth Harmony
With Debby Ryan + The Never Ending, Natalie La Rose and Bea Miller.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 18
Where: PNC Pavilion, Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township
Tickets: $20-$46
Information: 513-232-6220; www.roverbend.org
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Source: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/07/16/fifth-harmony-singers-use-status-support-causes/30146375/
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