Even after Cabello left in 2016, Fifth Harmony didn’t miss a step, releasing a self-titled album as a quartet the following year and using their shared history as a springboard for successful solo careers after the group went on hiatus in 2018. And as their name implies, the group favored flawless five-part harmonies, which had undeniable roots in both ’70s soul groups and ’90s R&B acts. On their first two albums, 2015’s Reflection and 2016’s 7/27, they embraced the mid-2010s pop empowerment boom, espousing the power of a healthy self-image (“Worth It”) and sexual assertiveness (“Work from Home”). Their 2013 debut single, “Miss Movin’ On,” possesses echoes of 2000s emo-rock, although the group became known for wielding a sleek style indebted to neon-hued ’80s electro and ’90s hip-hop. However, while One Direction gleefully embraced the classic boy-band handbook, the members of Fifth Harmony-Ally Brooke, Camila Cabello, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane, and Lauren Jauregui-put a decidedly modern spin on traditional girl-group tropes. Both groups initially had five members, were formed on the reality show The X Factor, and finished third in their respective seasons. Fifth Harmony even directly reference one of Beyonce's most quotable lyrics, singing "Do you ever post your pics with no filter, 'Hashtag,' I woke up like this, too" on "Them Girls Be Like." Although essentially a radio-ready pop aperitif and nowhere near the cultural touchstone of Beyonce's album, Reflection nonetheless works as a Revlon ad-level post-feminist girls' night out with plenty of vintage '90s R&B swagger, all of which works to remind you that these women have all the right influences, from Beyonce to Mariah Carey, on the aptly titled "Like Mariah," even going so far as to call out the First Lady on the aforementioned anthemic "Bo$$." While lyrics like "Boss.Michelle Obama, purse so heavy gettin' Oprah Dollars" don't rise to the level of social commentary, they do seem to be offered with a glint of tongue-in-cheek humor, making Reflection an undeniably fun listen from beginning to end.It’s easy to see the similarities between 2010s teen-pop powerhouses Fifth Harmony and One Direction. Along with various production similarities, from the militaristic drum corps rhythmic bed of "Bo$$" to the general focus on resonant vocals, there is also an overall vibe of positive girl power permeating Reflection. If there is any one major antecedent to Reflection, it is clearly Beyonce's 2013 feminism-steeped eponymous opus. Reflection hits upon all the au currant musical touchstones, from electronic-infused dance music to synthy, rhythmically bumptious hip-hop, to retro-'90s R&B, all without ever going too far in any one direction. Luke, Ricky Reed, and others, Fifth Harmony members Ally Brooke Hernandez, Camila Cabello, Normani Hamilton, Dinah-Jane Hansen, and Lauren Jauregui have crafted an album that is very much a savvy pop product of the moment. Working with a bevy of top-notch producers and songwriters including Julian Bunetta, Stargate, Dr. Fifth Harmony will at long last give its fans a full-length when the girl group releases its debut album, Reflection, on Feb. The debut album from The X-Factor's second season third-place finishers Fifth Harmony, 2015's Reflection is a slick production superbly showcasing the group's multi-voiced approach to contemporary R&B.
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