Normani Speaks Out About Her Father's Cancer Diagnosis a Year After Her Mother's Second Cancer Battle

Normani Kordei Hamilton
Taylor Hill/WireImage

The singer's mother was first diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and then again in 2020.

Normani has revealed that her father, Derrick Hamilton, was diagnosed with cancer one year after her mother, Andrea, battled cancer for a second time.

The former Fifth Harmony singer made the revelation in a promotional collaboration with Bose, in which she opened up about how music has been a safe haven for her and her family.

"(When my mom was going through chemo) the thing that really kept her going was getting on FaceTime and being like, 'How are the sessions going?' She's always so eager to hear the new records we've been working on," she said. "And then a year later when my dad ended up being diagnosed, he would say mid-treatment, 'I'm ready for you to take over the world.'"

It's unclear if Derrick is still battling cancer. Andrea underwent cancer treatment when Normani was only four years old. After being in remission for nearly two decades, Normani announced in October 2020 that the cancer had returned.

In July 2021, Normani opened up to Power 106 about how important it was to put out new music during Andrea's battle with breast cancer, particularly the hit track, "Wild Side," featuring Cardi B.

"This past year, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer," Normani said. "For me, this work that I was able to put out into the world really saved me, to be completely honest. Even just being on FaceTime with her as she's going through her chemo and her radiation, and just wanting me to update her on how this video is going, and how the music is coming, it really got her through that. It got my family through the darkest time of our lives."

"For it to happen all over again, in such a pivotal and heightened moment for my career... there's so many moments I was like, 'I need to be at home' and I felt guilty for not being able to be physically there with her," the "Checklist" singer continued. "I remember being in the doctor's office with her after she had her surgery in October. She's like, 'Baby, I'm gonna be fine. What I need you to do is focus. I need you to be Normani. I need you to be the best version of yourself. I need you to continue to work hard. We gotta get this music out. We have the world to impact.' She was just like, 'I'm gonna be fine.' Anything that my mom says, to be completely honest, I believe."

In August 2021, Normani announced on Twitter that her mother "had her final round of radiation."

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