Camila Cabello used parents' Cuban escape for strength to quit Fifth Harmony

Camila Cabello found the strength to leave Fifth Harmony by drawing inspiration from her parents' migration from Cuba to the U.S. when she was a child.

Fans of the Work From Home hitmakers were left shocked in December (16), when Camila announced she was quitting the group to go solo.

The pop star reveals she was hesitant to make such a big life change, but she knew it was a risk she had to take, entering the unknown just like her mother and father had done years ago in a desperate bid to give their kids a better life.

"Everything we've gone through as a family has given me a different perspective on life," Camila tells Flaunt magazine. "We've started over so many times. My parents came (to America) with no money, no friends, not even a house. Nothing. And it was just always about, 'I'm not happy where I am now. I don't know what's going to happen in the future but I can't stay here.' It's always been about just being brave enough to make that move."

Camila has since found her footing as a solo artist, thanks to the success of her debut single Crying in the Club, and her recent collaborations with Pitbull, Cashmere Cat, and Major Lazer, and she is now preparing for the September (17) release of her album The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving.

The singer was heavily involved in the writing and production of her new material, but the 20-year-old's lack of romantic experience meant she had to find other ways to add a little drama to her lyrics - and she didn't have to look far.

"Latin music has influenced me in every way," she says. "Even in 'I'll Never Be the Same.' That was about a boy that I was with for like, three months, not even; it was like, two months and I'm just like (on the song), 'You're the one... it's you!'"

Working on the album gave Camila an outlet for her to process all of her emotions, but she would never have developed her love of songwriting had it not been for her time in Fifth Harmony.

"There's a healthy amount of competitiveness that exists within a group," she explains. "Everybody wants to add something to the table."

Camila's Flaunt magazine interview and her comments surrounding her departure from the girl group emerges a day after her former bandmates admitted they were sick of talking about the split, urging members of the media to find real news to report on.