Chloe Bailey has been the target of vicious social media critique following the release of her album. This week it was revealed that her solo debut, “In Pieces” only brought in 10,000 in sales during its first week. It came in at #119 on the weekly Billboard 200. With features from Chris Brown, Missy Elliott, and Future, the album seemed promising. Critics have not been kind to the pop star and she is finally firing back at her critics.
During her performance Tuesday night, the Chloe x Halle star stopped her set to speak directly to the audience. The 24-year-old thanked them for their support of her album before going in on everyone who has had something negative to say about her. “F**k what the f**k everybody gotta say,” she said to a cheering crowd. The singer has been gracious up until this point. However, her reaction is warranted.
Chloe Bailey Has Been Plagued With Criticism Since Going Solo
Aside from her music, the Beyonce protege has been the subject of bullying for her acting roles. She appeared in a sex scene in Amazon’s Swarm alongside Damson Idris. However, she endured the bulk of the backlash. Bailey responded that she was simply doing her job. She has also been accused of dating “Praise This” co-star Quavo simply because they were photographed together on the red carpet. Bailey has since denied this, but rumors continue to plague the young woman. Some have even linked her to rapper Future.
Many have also taken aim at Beyonce and Bailey’s label for failing to push “In Pieces” more. She is signed to Columbia Records and Parkwood Entertainment, which is led by Mrs. Carter. Many also question why the album appeared rushed. The rollout appeared limited, with only one lead single, “How Does It Feel” alongside Brown. That single didn’t make much noise. If anything, it angered her fanbase, who accused her of working with an abuser. The Guardian says even the impressive features fail to “add much spark.” Rolling Stone referred to it as an “uneven listen.” Bailey recently shared her theory on the backlash. She believes that those coming at her were never fans of Chloe x Halle, so they do not understand the artistry. Either way, it is refreshing to see Bailey pushing through, despite so much hate online.
Chlöe is the other half of the Chloe x Halle musical duo. In recent years, however, we’ve seen her do incredible things as an individual. These have finally culminated in a debut studio album. The original plan was to name the album after herself, but that changed as Chlöe continued to develop the record. In January, the “Treat Me” singer announced the album with a “Heart on My Sleeve” preview.
Chlöe closed out March with the release of her anticipated debut album, In Pieces. The singer has promised the project for some time, and upon delivery, Chlöe was praised for her official introduction. It was challenging, but she partnered with several noteworthy artists to help round out the record. Future, Chris Brown, and Missy Elliott added their voices to In Pieces. It seemed as if Chlöe wanted to stand alone for most of the tracklisting, proving she could create captivating music as a hitmaking solo artist. We’re taking an in-depth look at In Pieces and highlighting the album’s best moments.
Chlöe Without Halle
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: (L-R) Halle Bailey and Chloe Bailey attend the Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Julie Greenwald and Craig Kallman on February 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
It has become a default trend for collective stars to turn to desperate measures to seek balanced respect. It seems for Chloe x Halle, it is tempting to assume the venture into independence is perhaps each sister carving out their own lane. Halle landed a lead role in the 2023 live adaptation of The Little Mermaid, and the filming took place abroad. This would turn out to be their lengthiest period apart. Consequently, Chlöe found solace in exploring creativity on a personal plain.
The harmonies are not half as intact, and we miss that on InPieces without Halle. We should, however, not undermine the thrill that springs from some of these quality collaborations. For instance, Future in “Cheatback” was definitely the “Honest” rapper in his natural habitat. Chris Brown, on the other hand, equally in his comfort zone, gave rise to mixed feelings. A chosen few of their fans loved the collaboration, but Brown’s past was a hot topic. Halle’s absence conspicuously made Chlöe seem like a nuance of herself. This was foreseeable, considering they only created separate Instagram accounts a little over two years ago.
Chlöe’s In Pieces: Overall Appraisal
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 03: Chlöe performs onstage during MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
In aggregating In Pieces ratings, Metacritic arrived at a score of 64/100—not bad for a debut. Most tracks run under three minutes—talent and wit beget brevity. Chlöe is following the steps of her Industry Aunt, Beyoncé, in so many ways. Is it the religious allusions? The cheating trauma? The unapologetic female sensuality? The self-inclination? All these are precious stones to craftsmanship and even peculiarly more so to these two women. A lady who enjoys being called “baby Beyoncé” is outrightly one to watch out for in things of sexuality.
Chlöe knows how to make an entrance, and she did so on In Pieces‘s first track, “Someone’s Calling (Chlöe).” She sampled Louis Armstrong’s 1952 jazz classic, “Chloe (Song of the Swamp).” What a name play. It almost gave us this Tom-and-Jerry-Christmas-Edition-background-music-vibe. We loved it, but not as much as the sampler herself—it’s her granddaddy’s little souvenir lullaby. Breakups suck, and Chlöe is here to remind us with “Pray It Away.” Through the personal feel of the album, we figure out her 20s have not been entirely kind. Prayer aside, she also dances it away in “Body Do.” Tracks like “Told Ya” and “Cheatback” showcase the character arc. After mourning in prayer, she makes bold decisions in the later tracks.
Scrapped Singles & Forthcoming Tour
Chlöe purposefully released four singles between September 2021 and October 2022. She then had in mind Chlöe, or as we now know it, In Pieces. Fans were astonished to add “Have Mercy,” “Treat Me,” “Surprise,” and “For the Night” to their playlists. She eventually scrapped them, announcing the decision upon releasing “Pray It Away,” the new lead single. Every severe critic would flash an inquisitive eye at this forepassed development. Why did Chlöe change her mind? A theory about “Have Mercy” could be the avoidance of premature redundancy.
Another step Chlöe would take has everything to do with her much-anticipated In PiecesTour. Her tour will start at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on April 11. The run will conclude at The Novo in Los Angeles come May 3. Chlöe is just getting started.
Chloe Bailey has been linked to multiple rappers throughout her short solo music career. Fans were sure she and Gunna were a couple in late 2021. The two were spotted on numerous outings, including courtside at an Atlanta Hawks game. They were seen hand in hand on a separate occasion during what appeared like a date night. Both played coy about their relationship. Unfortunately, he was jailed for a RICO charge related to his affiliation with YSL in 2022. After that, it appears the courtship dwindled, and it wasn’t long before Bailey was linked to yet another rapper. In recent weeks, rumors have swirled that she is dating Migos star, Quavo and even Future following the debut of their video “Cheatback.” Bailey is now ready to clear up the rumors and introduce the world to her real man.
The singer built up fan anticipation during an IG Live session when she revealed she wanted to show off her boo. “I want to invite you into my world, and I want you to meet my man,” she told viewers. “We’ve been together for a little bit, and he makes me really happy.” She then spoke to the supposed guy, looking toward the corner of her hotel room.
Appearing to speak to someone, Bailey asked if he was ready to get on the camera so her supporters could meet him. Sparking disappointment everywhere, she turned her phone to show a completely empty side of the bed. Obviously alluding to her man being invisible, Bailey playfully said, “I’m in love,” before laughing at her own antics.
The Chloe x Halle star is busier than ever these days as she expands her acting portfolio. She recently appeared in the Amazon Prime original series Swarm. This was followed by Praise This alongside Quavo, another Amazon Prime presentation. Their appearance in the film and on the red carpet together is what initially sparked the dating chatter. The Future rumors date back to 2021, though they both denied them. Their joint single on her debut album, “In Pieces,” only refueled these romance claims. It looks like the 24-year-old doesn’t want to be linked to anything besides music at this point in her career.
Chloe Bailey has been the brunt of vicious social media critique since embarking on her solo career. The writing was on the wall for some time that she was seeking solo ventures, and in 2021, she debuted her first solo single, “Have Mercy.” Many felt the video was too sexual, accusing her of veering away from her “good girl” Chloe x Halle image. Gladly, Bailey has learned to ignore the negativity, pointing out one similarity all her haters have in common.
During the promo run for her debut album, In Pieces, the 24-year-old sat down with Atlanta’s Majic 107.5. During this chat, a very important topic arose, one that the singer has dealt with in her group, Chloe x Halle, and by herself. Host Ryan Cameron brought up the fact that some fans may want the young women to remain the kid stars they once were. As children, the sisters appeared in “The Fighting Temptations” alongside Beyoncé in 2003. Then in their teens, the ladies performed records inspired by young romance. Now in their early 20s, the subject matter is much more mature, though Bailey doesn’t believe people have an issue with their lyrics. Instead, she feels the ones who judge her the harshest were never fans of her and Halle, to begin with.
“The same people who say that weren’t fans of Halle and I when we had our ‘Ungodly Hour’ album out, ‘The Kids Are Alright.’ So, it’s a bunch of people who are just putting in their two cents now just to really say things,” she explained to Cameron. Since the release of In Pieces which surprised many, Bailey has endured even more negativity. The album did not have a vast rollout as expected. Several early reviews of the project have been unkind, accusing the Grammy award nominee of not knowing her audience. A Pitchfork review even harshly referred to the record as “a compilation of soulless singles.”
Aside from her music, Bailey has also caught some slack from her performance in “Swarm.” The element in particular that set viewers off was an intimate scene between herself and actor Damson Idris. She received widespread backlash for depicting a sexual act, another sign that many are still attached to her perceived youthful innocence. Despite all the hatred, it seems Bailey has managed to block it out.
Appearing on her hometown radio station, Atlanta’s Majic 107.5, Chlöe broke down the negative responses after being asked about the criticism by host Ryan Cameron. “I saw somebody that said, ‘Whatever happened to Chloe X Halle?’” the host said. “Because they felt like it was a space — after Beyoncé [signed the sister duo] and all that — there was just gonna be all these things. Then, all of a sudden, all these things really happen, then it’s like, ‘Whatever happened to Chloe X Halle?’ It’s like they almost felt like… they wanted you to stay a kid!”
“The thing is,” Chlöe replied, “The same people who say that weren’t fans of Halle and [me] when we had our Ungodly Hour album out, The Kids Are Alright. So, it’s a bunch of people who are just putting in their two cents now just to really say things. Sis and I, we’ve been underground for a minute and the same people who talk weren’t around then or giving us our props then, and it’s like now they want to talk trash for some reason.”
For sure, it’s appeared that the more success the sisters have seen, the more critical the peanut gallery has become — but those people sharing their opinions now don’t even seem to know much about the girls. Take the loud contingent of racist haters who lashed out at Halle’s casting in The Little Mermaid. It seems they’ve just become the latest targets of convenience for online cranks looking for something to hate.
In 2021, Chlöe flapped her wings and flew out of her nest. This “nest” is representative of more than one thing in her life – her Chloe x Halle duo with sister Halle Bailey and the sonic landscape that made up her previous records are among them. For the first half of that year at least, Chlöe was independent of both. Halle spent the first six months of 2021 in London filming The Little Mermaid live-action film. This marked the first time that the two were apart for such a long period of time. It was during this time that Chlöe also became more experimental with her music and more comfortable with showing off her body on social media. The latter resulted in extended and unfounded criticism from people at home, and it continued for the next two years. They took swipes at everything from her music, her posts, her performances, and more in this new and continuously building era of independence for the 25-year-old singer.
For the most part, Chlöe didn’t set out to correct her detractors, mainly because they rained in before long before she could finish a body of work to present to the world. It’s like criticizing a painter on their overall canvas after a few brushstrokes. Critics of her music often pointed to her success with Chloe x Halle forgetting that the duo is also comprised of Halle Bailey who had a hand in their success with projects like Ungodly Hour, so, of course, things were different. Though it may not be her intentional goal to prove her haters wrong, she does get a kick out of accomplishing it along with other goals. “I love proving people wrong,” she said in her Uproxx cover story in August 2022. “One day, I hope people can really get to see who I truly am as a human being as opposed to this facade of a person that they think I am.” At long last, the opportunity to do so arrived with her debut album In Pieces.
There are plenty of things that In Pieces highlights in favor of Chlöe’s artistry. Through its 14 songs, we see that underneath the feisty, captivating, and bubbly young woman, lies one that is still recovering from heartbreak. Unlike most albums centered on heartbreak, Chlöe doesn’t grant us a view into the days before the pains in love on In Pieces. Rather, impulsive reactions and thoughts are at center stage to start things off. “Pray It Away” marks the first fully-composed piece of music on the album and Chlöe shows the maturity to let karma sort itself out with help from the glorious echoes of a choir. That record spills into the uptempo and bouncy “Body Do” that, sans a slightly jarring intro, succeeds in reminding us of Chlöe’s versatility. There, she decides to use an unfaithful man for the one thing they’re good for in their final days together. In both cases, Chlöe acknowledges that the first step in heartbreak is to pick up the broken pieces, but what to do with them next is the journey that unwinds on In Pieces with emotive highs and lows, confrontations with self and others, and most importantly, growth.
In Pieces succeeds in many areas just from a musical standpoint. “I Don’t Mind” tantalizes with the flavor of fluttering guitar strings as Chlöe climbs the scale with the effortless agility of a ninja warrior. She swoops low in her warm-up towards a near-whisper hook that grazes the sky to pluck at the clouds. ”Feel Me Cry” is a well-executed double entendre that dazzles with Chlöe’s cries for the emotional connection that only the comfort of physical touch, especially in the sexual sense, can provide. That along with “Make It Look Easy” are by far the best all-around composed songs on the album. The latter record is layered in such an encapsulating way that it carries a meaning applicable to more than one subject. When she sings, “Can I be honest with you?” it’s a question directed at a significant other in her life and the general world that tried to break her down into pieces over the past couple of years. The openness and honesty in this record present a woman who’s learned to leave a bad situation and not indulge in the last good pieces of it as we see on “Body Do.” Lines like “Overthinkin’ always in my head / Hate bein’ alone, there’s nowhere to run / So, I’ll pretend that I’m all good instead,” prove that while the spotlight brightens what is great, it also manages to do the same for one’s imperfections.
On Chlöe’s debut album In Pieces, there’s a bit more to take away about the singer’s artistic direction than about the project’s musicality. On the latter front, the project is not as captivating as one may have hoped for a singer with such a fairly incomparable and undoubtedly commanding voice that has the ability to construct a story of growth and empowerment as we see on the album. Despite this, it appears that Chlöe’s foundational goal with In Pieces was to simply break from her detractors and prove that she can fly away from what once held her down. Chlöe did just that and landed right where she needed to. It’s exhibited through the compassionate and self-serving “Looze U,” the stern and hair-flipping “Told Ya” with Missy Elliott, and the juxtaposing “Cheatback” with music’s toxic king, Future. There’s room for improvement, and being that many listeners were once 24-year-olds looking to figure it all out, Chlöe will fair just fine. For her, there’s a better chance than not that she hits a bullseye in future go-arounds. For now with In Pieces, we and Chlöe can find resolve in knowing that the pieces are now whole again.
In Pieces is out now via Columbia Records and Parkwood Entertainment. You can stream it here.
Rapper Latto promised a juicy first episode of her new Apple Music show, 777 Radio, and she delivered with special guest Chlöe. The “Body Do” singer has maintained a thick skin when it comes to rumors about her. However, when it comes to fans pitting her and her sister Halle Bailey against each with endless comparisons she’s not having it.
The Swarm actress fired off about the topic when asked by the host in the clip shared with People, saying, “Honestly, it really pisses me off.”
Chlöe continued by adding, “I think out of everything, that’s the thing that gets under my skin the most, when people are comparing us, because we are best friends, we’re sisters. Sometimes we forget that we’re not twins, and it’s like, don’t mess with my blood. Don’t mess with her.”
Before the clip ends, Chlöe explained, “Sometimes I just have to brush it off because people only see what they want to make up, what they want to believe, and it’s like, sometimes I don’t need to give off that energy and waste my time explaining something that I know isn’t true.”
The full first episode of 777 Radio featuring Chlöe will be released tomorrow, March 30, at 11 a.m. PT. New episodes of the series will air biweekly on Thursdays exclusively on Apple Music 1. For more information, click here.
Chlöe and Halle Bailey are having a big year — both as a group and as individuals. We are just over a week away from Chlöe’s solo debut album, In Pieces, and in May, we will see Halle take the big screen in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
While we are excited to see what the sisters bring to us individually, fans wonder what their future as a duo entails.
While promoting her new campaign with Zyrtec (per PopSugar), Halle revealed that she and Chlöe are excited about this new era in each of their lives. But she also made it known that fans haven’t seen the last of them as Chloe x Halle.
“This journey has been a really beautiful one,” said Halle. “My sister and I are so close, she’s like my arm. […] And she’s my biggest supporter. I’m her biggest supporter. We’re just really excited to be able to be doing all of this together and for this all to be happening. I’m so proud of her. And her album comes out March 31, In Pieces, and everyone should be so hyped for it. But people should definitely know that we are not finished making music together.”
In Pieces is out 3/24 via Columbia and Parkwood. Find more information here.
The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey recently shared the correct way to pronounce her name during an Instagram Live. A video clip uploaded to Twitter by a fan account shows theChloe x Halle singer explaining the correct way to say her two-syllable moniker. She also lightly explained her frustration at having people get it wrong so often.
“You know, I really appreciate you asking because so many people don’t know how to pronounce it correctly. It’s literally just Halle. It’s simple, it’s easy: It’s Halle. Not Holly, not Haley. It’s Halle. Okay? Thank you.” Bailey explained at the time. The live stream was a way for the Atlanta native to thank her fans for supporting her career journey as the official trailer for her debut movie, The Little Mermaid was released at the 2023 Oscars.
Halle Offers a Tutorial On Saying Her “Simple” Name
This isn’t the first time there has been confusion over the Ungodly Hour singer’s name. There have been several cases where the 22-year-old has been confused for Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry, which the Catwoman lead has previously joked about. When a fan replied to one of her posts saying, “Can’t wait to see you under da sea! ,” the older starlet was quick to reply, “… wrong Halle lol. I can’t wait to see her too though.”
In the same live stream, the young Disney princess expressed her excitement about playing the role of Ariel. “I feel like everything is falling into place. I feel like this is my Jordan year, right?” To be fair, everything does seem to be falling into place for the young singer-turned-actress.
Earlier this month, Halle Bailey unveiled The Little Mermaid dollmodelled after her. The long-awaited movie is finally set to release in theatres on May 26, 2023. In an interview with Variety, she spoke about being an inspiration for young girls watching her on the big screen. “I want the little girl in me and the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special and that they should be a princess in every single way. There’s no reason that they shouldn’t be,” the star said. Will you be heading to theatres this spring to catch Disney’s upcoming remake? Tell us in the comments below.
Even celebrities get starstruck. Though Halle Bailey is having a colossal year with her role as Ariel in The Little Mermaid — which led to her getting her own doll — she was fangirling at The Oscars last night (March 12) over a certain iconic actress.
In the midst of an interview with a reporter for Variety, the reporter began waving the one and only Jamie Lee Curtis over, saying, “Jamie, someone wants to meet you.” Meanwhile, Bailey, visibly anxious, said, “Oh, my god,” before introducing herself and shaking Curtis’s hand.
“I know who you are,” Curtis assured her.
“I’m such a big fan,” Bailey raved with a big smile on her face. “You look beautiful! You look so pretty!”
After a wholesome embrace, they had a picture taken together, looking spectacular in their sprawling dresses. After Curtis left, Bailey said to the reporter, “She’s so nice!”
Upon revealing her Little Mermaid doll, Bailey shared a heartwarming video in which she teared up while showing off the figurine. “This is the new Little Mermaid doll,” she said to the camera. “I am literally choking up because this means so much to me. To have one that looks like me — that’s my favorite Disney character — is very surreal.”
(@cxhnow) 
,” the older starlet was quick to reply, “… wrong Halle lol. I can’t wait to see her too though.”