MUMBAI: Singer Camila Cabello says leaving the band Fifth Harmony helped her "come alive".

Cabello released her full debut album Camila on Monday. She believes the decision to leave the band helped her start expressing herself and her vision more freely, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I had been writing songs since I was 16, and at first I wanted to write for other people. But I had these songs that were so personal... and I couldn't imagine me giving it to somebody and somebody else singing them because it was too close to me," Cabello told NPR magazine.

"I went a long time writing songs thinking that, 'Nobody will ever hear this for another 10 years because I'll still be in the group'," she added. 

Cabello said she is now in a "great place", because she has taken complete ownership of her public appearances.

"I'm all for girls wearing what they want to wear. I think it is great for girls who want to express their sexuality and if they want to wear booty shorts or eyelashes or whatever to feel great, then that's amazing," she said.

"The only thing wrong is when somebody is pushing you to do it before it's your time and before you are comfortable - or if that's not really you. I think both of those are okay; whether you want to go for that or you are not comfortable with that," she added. 

(Source: IANS)