Camila Cabello shared the real details behind her Fifth Harmony departure

On the eve of her first full solo album’s release, The New York Times published an interview with Camila Cabello that, in her own words, revealed why she left Fifth Harmony. While her new album Camila has proved that the singer has moved on, fans understandably want to know the details behind her departure. And according to Cabello, it was far from a pleasant time for this now solo artist.

When Cabello left Fifth Harmony in December 2016, there was quite a bit of drama surrounding her exit. Remaining members Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane, and Lauren Jauregui posted on social media that they were notified of Cabello leaving via their representatives. Cabello then responded with her own post in which she said she “did not intend to end things with fifth harmony this way” and that it was untrue that they were notified by their representatives that she was leaving. The four members of Fifth Harmony clapped back on social media, giving a very different take on the situation.

Then, at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in August, Fifth Harmony did a stunt with a Cabello stand-in, who flew backward off the stage before the women started singing.

According to The New York Times, Cabello started tearing up during the interview when she remembered watching the VMAs.

"It definitely hurt my feelings," Cabello said. "I wasn't expecting it, I wasn't prepared for it — especially because at that point I'd moved on from it. I was just like, 'What? Why?'"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSXxm_mS02k?feature=oembed

Now, months after the VMAs, Cabello is giving her side of what happened with Fifth Harmony.

As noted in Fifth Harmony’s second statement about Cabello’s departure, Cabello said that her 2015 song with Shawn Mendes, “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” caused tension in the group. The situation worsened as she began working with producers like Diplo, Cashmere Cat, and Benny Blanco.

"I was just curious and I wanted to learn and I saw all these people around me making music, writing songs and being so free," Cabello said. "I just wanted to do that and it did not work."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngORmvyvAaI?feature=oembed

Camila also said that she asked to write lyrics for Fifth Harmony songs and was denied. In addition, she had wanted to stay in the group while working on her solo album, but the group pushed her out instead.

"It became clear that it was not possible to do solo stuff and be in the group at the same time," Cabello said.

So she chose to leave Fifth Harmony after being in the group for nearly five years since they were put together on The X Factor in 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qti2X20w_gA?feature=oembed

“If anyone wants to explore their individuality, it’s not right for people to tell you no,” Cabello told NYT. Now, the artist is exploring her individuality through her first solo album out on January 12th. Of course, fans already got a preview with her singles “Havana” and “Never Be The Same,” but the full-length release is still a pretty big deal.

MY ALBUM IS OUT

MY ALBUM IS OUT

MY ALBUM IS OUT

🦋https://t.co/V7nyw4vLkG pic.twitter.com/C99cuMbnUK

— camila (@Camila_Cabello) January 12, 2018

Although the album was initially titled The Hurting, the Healing, the Loving, Camila told The New York Times that she changed it to reflect less on the drama of leaving Fifth Harmony and more on her own life. (Interestingly enough, Cabello’s manager is now Roger Gold, who used to be the lawyer for Fifth Harmony.) And with Camila released, she can focus on her music and future more than ever.

“I have to make space for the good stuff to happen in my life,” Cabello told The New York Times. “I don’t like holding onto the past, especially when it’s stuff that, in my opinion, is just petty.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FITSPSA8gQs?feature=oembed

So while the rest of Fifth Harmony may have a different side of the story, Cabello’s sticking to her version — and it seems like although there was plenty of hurting, she has gotten on with the healing and loving and will be just fine — even if she’ll “never be the same” again.