While the popularity of reality TV music contests isn’t perhaps quite what it once was, the ability of these shows to produce the next iteration of global stars shows no sign of slowing down.
The format now firmly appears to favor the vocal harmony groups, and the medium-term outcome is that one member will leave the others behind in embarking on a solo career. Step forward, Camila Cabello.
Now 24, the singer/songwriter remains of an age that still seems impossibly young when considering the global acclaim she’s achieved, and the prolonged-term of her career is even more remarkable given that she was an X Factor USA winner way back in 2012 with five-piece Fifth Harmony.
That a 15-year-old could cope with a level of stardom that, from day one, has never relented is incredible, though Cabello admits she was swept along by events in the early days. “You are scripted, programmed, organized, and scheduled from day one,” she says. “When you look back on it, it’s terrifying, but of course, when you’re in the heart of it, it’s exciting, and as a teenager who dreamed of making a career out of music, it was all I ever wanted.”
The daughter of a Cuban mother, Sinuhe Estrabao, and Mexican father, Alejandro Cabello, Camila moved to Miami at age six (although her father’s work visa was delayed by 18 months). “We had nothing, and both my parents worked tirelessly in order to provide for us a better life.”
“There were tears, there was stress and worry, but my parents showed me that with a passion to work, with optimism, and by waking up every day certain you can make a difference not just to your own life but to those of people around you, it is incredible what is actually possible.”
The fact that Cabello has always been of solid stock perhaps exemplifies why this was always someone who could cope with the extreme demands of 24/7 showbusiness scrutiny. “It did take some getting used to, but I always felt I had the strength in me to get through the tough days,” she says. “You go from being an ordinary person to having press camped outside your house and fans chasing your car down the street.”
“I think the biggest thing for me was accepting my old life would never be there again. Even those who are in the industry for just a handful of years will, ultimately, never go back to who they were. It is life-changing, and it is permanent.”
Cabello needn’t have worried. Embracing fame with the rest of her Fifth Harmony bandmates, the group scored three top 5 albums in the US, along with a host of multi-platinum singles, including “Miss Movin’ On”, “Work From Home”, and “Worth It”.
Cabello departed the group a week before Christmas in 2016, stating a desire to move on with her own projects, even if, slightly awkwardly, it left the band Fifth Harmony, with only four members. “What has made me happy is that the girls went on to achieve so much more after I left. I knew they would, and to get another three years out of a collective that transformed our lives was amazing to see.”
And yet, the solo artist has never been able to look on the fortunes of her former act for too long, so great has been her ascent. Her first single, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, was a collaboration with Shawn Mendes (more on him later), and so began a string of duets with artists as revered as Machine Gun Kelly, Young Thug, and Pharrell Williams. “I love the process of recording with someone else,” admits Cabello. “Although I am proud to be a solo artist, and I love having my own creative vision come to fruition, at times it’s so valuable to lean on someone else so that you can take a different approach to a track, to a chorus, perhaps just to a harmony.”
“Music is so subjective and so beautiful, and it’s important to listen to the influence of others when it comes to building songs.”
The success that’s followed has been tremendous fittingly. The tracks “Havana” and “Señorita” have resonated best in the US market, both echoing Cabello’s Cuban roots with melodies that weave and intertwine. Other songs, “Bad Things”, “Never Be The Same”, and “My Oh My” have been global smashes, helping the singer build a legacy that’s seen her lend her voice and her influence across a number of other projects.
“I’ve always felt my background should inspire me to do as much as I can for other people. I moved to a different country when I was young, I am a woman, and I am in an industry where we are centered in inclusion and diversity.”
“We all have to stand up, be proud of who we are, and show accountability for racism and injustices of all kinds, and I think the music industry is the very best in the world at this.”
“I am proud of the work we have done so far, but there is always more to do.”
Certainly, Cabello’s impassioned pleas across social media for more to be done to help the Covid pandemic in her native Cuba indicate she has never turned her back on the place of her birth. “I have lived in America for almost three-quarters of my life, but you never change who you are and the heritage you hold.”
“I am so proud of being Cuban, and I will always regard Havana as my home. I lived in Mexico City as well and love the Latin sound and culture that continues to influence me today. This is ultimately who I am.”
And as for future collaborations, well, her first, with Shawn Mendes, appears to have been the most important, with the singer officially in a relationship with the Canadian since the middle of 2019. “I was advised repeatedly never to fall in love with a musician, as it’s apparently a recipe for personal and professional disaster,” she laughs. “I can safely say it hasn’t been too bad so far, but thanks for the advice anyway!”
Indeed, theirs is a companionship that has blossomed into love. “It is really strange to fall in love with someone when you have known them so long. It is a major step to take because you know you are risking everything you have worked hard to build up in a friendship. You know that if it goes wrong as two people in a relationship, then your friendship has gone at the same time, and that is scary.”
“I would always tell people to be friends first if that is possible. You will learn so much about each other and understand that person so much better when you are being yourself in a partnership, at first, rather than straight away trying to be something to someone else. I think that is really important.”
While the world has been treated to a love affair in the camera lens, Cabello’s Cinderella status is about to be played out for real as she stars in the musical version of the famous story. “It’s one of those that come along and is a perfect route into a different world for me,” the singer admits. “The whole synergy between TV and music has always been really strong, and these days there seem to be as many people starting out in music and going to the stage or screen as there are coming the other way.”
“I find that really encouraging, and although this is a singing role, it’s a huge honor for me, and obviously, it has given me the chance to hone some of my acting skills too.”
Asked if she will pursue full acting duties in the future, Cabello hints she might. “I’ve always been a huge fan of film. Like music, it has this ability to transport you off into another world, and that’s so exciting.”
“I think when you are in the mindset of being creative and having a vision to decorate the world with stories, it doesn’t really whether that’s in music or film or art or anything else.”
“I think what’s fundamentally important is we keep allowing ourselves the time to tell stories because that is what has engaged generations before and will do again.”
While Cabello is driven to push his influence even further, she isn’t quite ready to play all of her life out in public. “I still get very shy about intimacy when you have photographers around.”
“I need to draw the line somewhere, and I’m glad I do, as it means I can still keep control of some of my privacy, and that’s actually more than some other people are able to do.”
“And by intimacy, I mean expressions of that with Shawn. I am in love with him with all my heart and soul, but I have resisted big gestures in public or on stage because I don’t think people need to see it, and also because I am very shy.” (Laughs)
“It should be the easiest thing in the world to kiss someone, but love can be a very private thing, and, over time, I think you learn to share that more. So you might say I am still working on that side of things!”
Whatever work there is still to be done, a considerable quantity has been completed on the part of Camila Cabello. She is a pop star for the modern generation, smart, self-aware, intelligent, and with a grade of humility that outstrips many of her peers. In short, she is one of reality TV’s greatest hits.
THE UNERRING POPULARITY OF CAMILA CABELLO Even though Cuban songstress Cabello was part of Fifth Harmony, she seemed to stand out from her other four members, and it was only a matter of time that should would go solo. The chart-topping single “Havana”, has well over a billion streams on the audio service Spotify, with fans seemingly coming from many different demographics.
Elton John: “If I was to meet her, I would tell her that her records make me happy, she makes me smile, and that vibrancy in her just makes me feel good and want to get up and dance!”
Demi Lovato (on a live stream video to her fans on Instagram, when asked if she could cover any song): “I’ve always had a real obsession with “Never Be the Same” by Camila Cabello. She got her start on X-Factor, so I have known her for a really long time, and I am really proud of her. So, I would cover that song.”
Taylor Swift (on her Instagram Stories about Cabello’s 2019 album Romance) “Baby C coming at us with dream pop, angel vocals, all the heart, and all the hooks. We have no choice but to ‘stan’ this greatness. The lyrics on “Finally” and “Beautiful Stanger” are… wow. They’re absolutely stunning.”
Penelope Cruz: “Every now and again, someone comes along who just stands out. It’s like the world keeps churning out very similar artists, then suddenly someone arrives to remind us what raw talent and individuality are all about, and she is that person.”