People are storming the internet with reactions to Swarm, and they can’t get over Paris Jackson. The celebrity daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe has come into her own as an adult, and she’s expanding on her entertainment career. She’s a talented musician and has built her acting résumé bit by bit, leading her to a role in Donald Glover’s Prime Video feature. The series is the talk of social media as first takes are being shared far and wide. Damson Idris and Chlöe’s sex scene is a hot topic of conversation, but Paris’s inclusion also has tongues wagging.
The first episode already shows that Swarm has all the makings of being Glover’s next hit. Jackson portrays “Hailey,” a woman who works at a strip club and goes by the moniker “Halsey.” During a scene, Hailey tells Dominique Fishback’s character “Dre” that she had to leave her last relationship because her partner didn’t like that she was Black. Dre didn’t know Hailey was a Black woman and questioned her about it. Hailey further reveals that her father is half-Black, which is why she chose her stage name. In real life, both Halsey and Jackson have addressed their racial identities as biracial women. Many also thought this scene was a jab at the singer.
Paris Jackson & Chlöe Relate To ‘Swarm’
Swarm is a take on the dark side of fandom, and Glover has explained that the series was inspired by the BeyHive. Eminem coined the term “Stan” decades ago, but it has carried on as fanbases have only intensified. Chlöe, who stars as the lead character’s sister in the series, knows all too well how those fans can be supportive and pestering. In her interview with Screen Rant this week, Chlöe talked about relating to Swarm and the core theme of the show.
“Well, I need the stans and so does my sister. The ones who are the ride-or-dies and fighting for us and defending us and buying the albums and things like that. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here,” said the hitmaker. “What I think is really special about the show is that when people actually get to watch it from the surface, that’s what it seems like it’s about. But it’s really a show about mental health, and a story of sisters, and what happens when one doesn’t have the other; the lengths that she goes to honor her sister and to protect her and to fight for her.”
A Mental Health Message
“That’s what this show really is about, and that’s what truly drew me to it. Because mental health is a serious thing, and it’s real. We all have our different ways of expressing ourselves, and Dre does [in an] interesting, demented way. But her heart has good intentions.” Check out Paris Jackson above.
Viewers streaming Donald Glover’s heavily anticipated stan culture satire Swarm were greeted with an unexpected sight as the show started streaming: pop star Chlöe‘s first-ever sex scene. While the singer has openly flaunted her sexuality in music videos for singles like “Have Mercy” and “Treat Me” (and fielded complaints about it online), this was her first time having simulated sex on camera and she credited scene partner Damson Idris (of Snowfall acclaim) with helping her overcome her initial nerves.
In an interview with Deadline at SXSW earlier this month — which has since resurfaced, for obvious reasons — Chlöe explained why she was nervous to film the scene in the first place, despite her sometimes racy image, and how Idris helped her feel more comfortable during filming.
“As open and liberal as I am about my body, I was very scared because I haven’t had that many partners,” she recalled. I’m not like that—like that sexual and open. Damson made it really comfortable; you know, there were limited people on set. It was a closed set.”
Damson kept things light, which helped her ease into what might otherwise be an embarrassing situation.
“We literally had a bouncy ball in between us, and you know, we were making a joke out of it, so it took all of the nervousness away from that,” she said. “I have to give a lot of kudos to him as a man for making me, as a woman, feel comfortable literally being raw and naked.”
Chloe Bailey on how Damson Idris made her comfortable filming her first love scene in ‘Swarm’ #SXSWpic.twitter.com/jKhKmlTHj4
The singer wasn’t the only one drawing attention during the show’s first season. Billie Eilish received praise for her acting (and smooching), while fans were gagged at a Halsey joke delivered by Paris Jackson. Meanwhile, Chlöe is also booked for some lighter fare onscreen; her gospel-inflected comedy Praise This is due to hit Peacock on April 7 (talk about RANGE). She’s also dropping her debut solo album In Pieces on March 31.
After it premiered at midnight last night (March 17), Swarm has taken over the internet. The new Amazon Prime Video series from Donald Glover and Janine Nabers is notable for a number of reasons, including a recently revealed appearance from Billie Eilish. She’s not the only music star in the show, as Chlöe also has a role, and there’s one scene in particular that is making waves online: the sex scene.
We won’t share it here (it’s easy enough to find, though, either via clips on Twitter or in the actual show), but for about 30 seconds in the first episode’s opening minutes, Chlöe and Damson Idris’ characters (Marissa Jackson and Khalid) have sex with each other as they talk dirty and make sexual noises. Partway through, Khalid notices Dominique Fishback’s character (Andrea “Dre” Greene) watching them from the doorway, but he continues and even flashes her a smile before Dre walks away.
Naturally, the explicit scene has drawn so many reactions on Twitter.
Chloe Bailey getting her back blown out in this new show? hold up lemme go check it out pic.twitter.com/sSV6tls63R
In a recent Deadline interview, Chlöe spoke about filming the scene, saying, “I remember when I first read the script, I was like, ‘Oh, this is insane, this is incredible,’ and I cried, and then I realized, ‘You gotta do that sex scene, girl.’ And as open and liberal as I am with my body, I was very scared because I haven’t had that many partners, I’m not like that… that sexual and open. […] Damson made it really comfortable. You know, there were limited people on set, it was a closed set. We were laughing in between. We literally had a bouncy ball in between us. […] I have to give a lot of kudos to him as a man for making me as a woman feel comfortable being literally raw and naked.”
Chloe Bailey on how Damson Idris made her comfortable filming her first love scene in ‘Swarm’ #SXSWpic.twitter.com/jKhKmlTHj4
In a separate tweet, she explained the meaning behind the image:
“I saw a photo of a porcelain doll 3 years ago, holding her heart just like this and from then, I said this will be my album cover. That same day I also wrote ‘Heart On My Sleeve.’ The beginning of a scary and exciting journey for me. This cover represents so much for me, down to the color of my hair.. When I had the red hair 1.5 years ago, it was one of the darkest times in my life.. That’s why I never wore it again. It reminded me too much of the pain that I was going through in that moment and I didn’t want any reminders.
But now after healing, doing self work and shedding this skin of false perfection, I find the beauty in my pain. I find the beauty in my flaws and how in actuality, that’s what makes me perfect. I find beauty in all of the cracks that show people I’ve been broken down before, because I’ve gotten up every time. I wear my heart as my armor.
In Pieces is for the ones who behind closed doors are breaking and don’t know how much more they can take. In Pieces is for the ones who hold the people up around them while barely holding up themselves. In Pieces is for the people who continue to get stabbed in the back, heartbroken by the ones they thought they could trust, but STILL that doesn’t change their heart and how they love. In Pieces is for the ones like me, who wear their outer shell so well that you’d have no idea what they’re doing through. I hope this project brings healing to those who listen, as it’s been completely therapeutic for me and I can’t wait to share my heart with you, literally.”
The trailer for Praise This starring Chloe Bailey from the girl group Chloe X Halle just dropped. The teaser comes just in time to entice our palates for a feel-good Easter holiday movie. Like her group-mate Hailey, Chloe seems interested in diversifying her talents with a leading movie role. The ‘Do It’ singer is no stranger to acting. She stars in the popular series Grown-ish. Here are all the details we picked up from the trailer. You will also get to discover interesting facts about the movie you might never have known.
April 7th Is The Premier Date
The movie will premier exclusively on Universal Studio’s Peacock on April 7th. Peacock is one of the many streaming services available in the United States. It has also recently expanded to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, and Italy. There has been no official communication on whether Praise This will have limited run in theaters for non-Peacock subscribers.
Peacock is, however, keen to make sure that movie lovers make the film a part of their to-do list in Easter holiday festivities. Praise This is a family movie based on Christian praise music. But, from the trailer, it seems like a fun afternoon movie to enjoy with family or by yourself whether Christian or otherwise. Even Quavo from the rap group Migos seems to have brought his acting chops to the movie.
Quavo Joins Fellow Musician Chloe In ‘Praise This’
The Grammy winning rapper has had a difficult past several months to say the least. First, his super rap group, the Migos split, alienating Offset to pursue a solo career. His other group-mate, Takeoff, who he had decided to form a rap duo with him under the moniker ‘Unc & Phew’ was tragically shot and killed during an altercation in Houston. Takeoff was Quavo’s actual nephew.
Then, there was the alleged confrontation back stage at the Grammys. Quavo and Offset had to be separated before it escalated to a brawl – again, allegedly. Insiders say that the confrontation stemmed from the Grammy organizers wanting Offset to be part of the Takeoff tribute. But, Quavo was having none of it. The Migos head honcho has released two songs paying tribute to Takeoff. The records have given us a glimpse of the pain that the rapper is going through.
So, it is refreshing to see him taking time off from music and lending his acting talents to this feel-good movie. He seemingly will be playing a music producer who will help push the talent of Chloe’s character to new heights.
Druski To Play A Pivotal Role In ‘Praise This’
Druski’s star continues to rise and a glimpse of him from the trailer shows that he is going to play a significant part in the movie. He can finally add ‘actor’ to his resume. The Maryland born entertainer is undoubtedly multi-talented. Druski can also comfortably share a stage with entertainment giants like Drake, J. Cole, and Snoop Dogg. This role could just be the perfect break the 28-year old needs to be more than just an internet sensation.
Great Talent Is Behind The Camera on ‘Praise This’
Tina has an impressive resume as a writer and director. She started her career writing screenplays to movies like the cult-classic, ATL, and Drumline. She also co-wrote and directed the movie Little and Peeples. Gordon is therefore no stranger to making good movies. Her talents and the incredible youthful leading cast can be a recipe for a classic. Brandon Brousard writes the screenplay for Praise This. He wrote the Perfect Match movie and produced #RealityHigh.
James Lopez takes the producer rank in Praise this. He has proved to be a great comedy producer. He has overseen movies like Kevin Hart’s Night School, Beast, Girls Trip, and What Women Want. Lopez worked with Tina Gordon on the later, so, we should be expecting the same energy and chemistry.
‘Praise This’ Plot
Praise This is a faith-based movie that sees Sam (Chloe’s character) living in California, and in pursuit of a music career. She is determined and driven to achieve her dream. However, her father (Philip Fornah) is concerned. Sam could get in trouble because of the potentially dangerous people she is hanging with. Reluctantly, she is made to move from Los Angeles to Atlanta to by her father. We are then quickly introduced to her happy-go-lucky cousin Jess played by Anjelika Washington.
Jess introduces Sam to her singing group that was clearly struggling trying to prepare for a national singing competition. Sam then discovers that she can actually live her musical aspirations through the group. However, Things do not go as planned for the aspiring musician. Praise this is the story of two young women and their journey of helping their team achieve success at the national competition.
Family And Religion Inspired ‘Praise This’
Director Tina Gordon said that she drew inspiration from her own family’s balance of the late-night music scene and church. Speaking to Pop Sugar, she said “My uncles were all musicians in the church. They would play in clubs on Saturday night, and my grandmother would make them have to get up and play in her church on Sunday morning.” She continued to say that she wanted the film to portray a blend of these worlds.
She also commented that she did not want the film to be too serious just because it is a faith-based film. “I think the comedy is surprising for a faith-based movie. We don’t take ourselves so seriously,” Gordon says.
“It’s a nice intersection of funny and faith, sinners and saints, the club and church. It’s a big tent and everybody is welcome and I think that’s the surprising part about it. It’s a movie of faith that’s not preachy.”
Pop Sugar also interviewed Chloe about the movie and she said that she appreciated the film for bringing her love for music, acting and God together.
Other ‘Praise This’ Cast Members
Anjelika Washington plays Sam’s cousin, Jess. Hip Hop star Quavo plays musician Ty, and Tristan Mack Wilds plays Pastor “PG” Goodman. Other cast members include; Kiara Iman Heffner, Ilario Grant, Cocoa Brown, Vanessa Fraction Loren Lott, and Crystal Hayslett. Gospel stars Jekalyn Carr and Koryn Hawthorne also make the cast.
Chlöe sat down with Pop Crave to dissect Swarm — specifically, what she hopes viewers garner “about healthy social media use.”
“You know, for me and how I practice being healthy in terms of the social media world, sometimes I have to step away from it,” she said. “It’s such a huge blessing. Because of it, there’s people who know about me, I can connect with my fans online, and that’s how people discovered my sister and I from YouTube. I know I would not be here and be able to do what I love, make money off of it, and live off of it without social media, right?”
She continued, “Now also, with anything good comes bad. People are completely entitled to have any opinions about anything, and I have to come to terms that I can’t please everybody. In everyday life, I just want everyone to feel comfortable, almost to the point where I’ll sacrifice my comfortability. But I think the past year and a half, I’m like, ‘You know what? I know God’s proud of me, I’m proud of me, and I’m just happy people are talking!’”
Our girl is shaking things up as she’s moving forward with her film career, and it’s Chlöe’s time to shine. The multihyphenate entertainer warmed our hearts as one of the dynamic duo Chloe x Halle, and the ladies extended their talents as stars of Grown-ish. Chlöe has also been storming the charts as a solo artist while her sister prepares for the unveiling of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey stars in the live-action remake as the lead role of Ariel.
Meanwhile, Chlöe has been a busy bee. Today (March 6), the songbird shared a teaser for her upcoming comedy film, Praise This. The feature also stars the likes of Quavo, Druski, Tristan Wilds, and more. The storyline follows the competitive world of youth choirs looking to be respected as power vocalists who outsing the competition. This first trailer gives insight into Chlöe’s character, as the actress tackles the lead.
Chlöe Flexes Her Gospel Skills In ‘Praise This’
Chlöe portrays Sam, a woman from Los Angeles visiting her family. She’s thrust into church life, and because she’s a singer, she begins attending rehearsals with her relative’s youth choir. However, she clashes with the choir director, who doesn’t want Sam to overstep her boundaries. The choir prides itself on remaining traditional in a world where its counterparts lean toward a modern edge. Sam steps in to help them, and it all unfolds hilariously—especially Druski.
This isn’t the only production Chlöe has on the horizon; she also stars in Swarm, Donald Glover’s upcoming series. The Atlanta star previously shared that Swarm was inspired by the BeyHive and similar fanbases that go to extremes for the artists they adore. Chlöe holds a supporting role in the show, and her efforts have been applauded by those who have already received a look at the final takes.
More To Come In 2023
Last year, Chlöe spoke with Hot 97 about working with a stellar cast in Praise This. “I’ve had the blessing to be a part of really great projects that I’m passionate about, and have incredible cast (mates) as well,” she said. Check out the trailer for Praise This above. The film hits theaters on April 7.
It’s safe to say that when it comes to the young artists in the game, Chloe Bailey takes the cake! Whether she’s killing the Gram with stimulating posts or making music that makes you move, Chloe is shaping to be a star we didn’t know we needed. After all, she is learning from Beyonce, so we shouldn’t expect anything less. We have watched Chloe as well as her younger sister, Halle, grow up right in front of us. You may think you know all about the Mableton artist, but there’s more to find out.
Here’s a few things you may not know about Chloe Bailey:
Parkwood Starts With Chloe
Parkwood Entertainment is home to Beyonce, Chloe x Halle, Jay-Z and Beyonce as The Carters, and now just Chloe herself. The “CUFF IT” singer founded the Columbia Records-backed label in 2010. The entertainment company is involved in not only music, but film, television, and artist management as well. Besides the Beyonce herself, the “Have Mercy” artist is going to be the first solo artist to have a full-length project released under Parkwood.
Beyonce signed artists Ingrid Burley and Sophie Beem to her label in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Beem signed a two-year artist development deal, therefore she is no longer with the label. Burley remains with Parkwood, but has never dropped an album. She released her EP, Trill Feels in 2016. Beem also released an EP in 2016 as well titled, Sophie Beem EP.
Chloe x Halle have put out four albums under the label, but now it’s Chloe’s turn to take a chance solo. She is set to release her debut solo studio album at the end of the month. The 23-year-old artist named her debut, In Pieces, with the lead single being “Pray It Away”. As of right now, the only feature we know of is Chris Brown as Bailey released the song and video to “How Does It Feel” last month.
Almost Won A Grammy Over Her Boss
We all know Beyonce is the queen of the Grammys. Well, she is now after collecting a couple of trophies at this year’s ceremony. There’s no doubt that Chloe will win a Grammy or two at some point in her career especially, with the mentor she has. The Houston legend can teach her a few things about collecting gold Gramaphones.
Chloe almost won her first Grammy back in 2021 for Best R&B song. Along with her sister Halle, the duo’s hit song, “Do It”, was nominated that year. Unfortunately, Chloe x Halle had some fierce competition, including their boss, Queen Bey. The “Crazy In Love” singer’s song, “Black Parade”, was nominated as well. “Black Parade” was a part of the soundtrack Beyonce created for the new version of Disney’s The Lion King. In the end, both songs were beat out by Robert Glasper’s “Better Than I Imagine” featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeoceloo.
But, on a brighter note, for an artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the same category and in the same year as their label’s founder is a historic feat.
Inspired by Mentor’s Foe
Of course, Beyonce is her inspiration, but Chloe has been influenced by Kelis as she embarks on her career. The “Pray It Away” singer has paid respects to the “Milkshake” artist in the past. Last year, in an “#AskChloe” segment on Twitter, fans took the time to ask Chloe all kinds of questions. One fan wanted to know who influences her, to which Chloe named Donna Summer, Imogen Heap, and Kelis. She mentioned Kanye as an influence as well. Also, last year on an Instagram Live session, Chloe further spoke on Kelis’s impact on her.
“Every time I put on Kelis, I feel like the baddest b****”
Kelis even inspired a few lyrics on her debut single, “Have Mercy”. Bailey also credits Kelis for being confident in her body, prompting her to feel the same. Chloe’s appreciation for the Tasty artist is respectful, but what does Beyonce think of that?
After all, Kelis did have her alter the song, “Energy”, from her album, Renaissance. Before the album was released, Kelis took to Instagram to reveal that part of her hit song, “Milkshake” was being used without her approval. Beyonce uses a small part of Kelis’s song at the end of “Energy”, to which Kelis calls it theft. The “Halo” singer had no issues taking out that part of the song and has not made any statements regarding the incident since.
It’s funny how the world works at times. Beyonce’s protégé, Chloe, is inspired by Nas’s ex-wife, Kelis, who recently had issues with Queen Bey, who is married to Jay-Z, and we all know the history between Nas and Jay-Z. Somehow some way, the Queens and Brooklyn rapper are yet again tied to each other.
Chloe Does It All
As if we haven’t already known, but Chloe is talented. She can sing, dance, act, you name it! But she also does behind the scenes work that you may not know. Chloe also writes for other artists, produces, and even designs album covers.
She is credited for writing on Willow Smith’s album, The 1st and contributed vocals to The Game’s Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind album. Bailey is also experienced in producing as well. She has received producer credit on her own songs such as “Feeling Good” and “Have Mercy”, but also produced on the soundtrack to Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. Last year, the 23-year-old even had her hand in design, as she was involved with designing the album cover for Elliot Murphy’s Wonder.
What can’t this woman do?
Let us know if you are excited for Chloe’s debut album, In Pieces, in the comments.
While plenty of attention has been rightly heaped upon Halle Bailey for her role in the upcoming Little Mermaid remake lately, her sister Chlöe is also building her filmography — albeit, via some lower-profile releases. One of those releases is Praise This, a musical comedy coming to Peacock in April. Chlöe just shared the first trailer for the film on social media, and it looks like the perfect vehicle to show off her acting and singing chops at the same time.
According to Deadline, its studio, Universal Pictures, is apparently hoping for Pitch Perfect-esque franchise potential, and judging from the trailer, it certainly appears that the acapella comedy’s DNA is part of the genetic makeup of Praise This, along with a dash of Chlöe’s mentor Beyoncé’s own gospel-based musical comedy, Fighting Temptation.
Per Collider, Bailey will portray Sam, an aspiring singer who gets shipped off to Atlanta to live with her cousin Jess, played by Anjelika Washington. There, she joins Jess’s praise team as they prepare for a singing competition. The cast also includes comedian Druski and The Wire alum Tristan “Mack” Wilds. There’s also a cameo appearance by Quavo.
Praise This is coming to Peacock on April 7, 2023. You can watch the trailer above.
Both Chlöe and Latto have individually been racking up success for themselves at the age of 24. At Billboard’s Women in Music awards, which took place on Wednesday (March 1), the two artists shared admiration for one another both on stage and on the red carpet. Latto performed “Lottery” alongside Lu Kala at the event, and was awarded the Powerhouse Award. Chlöe presented the award and shared a heartfelt speech in honor of her friend calling the Ohio rapper a “force to be reckoned with.”
While announcing the win, Chlöe reflected, “when you title a song ‘Big Energy,‘ you better be ready to live up to that promise.” While recounting all of Latto’s career successes, the “Pray It Away” singer notes how the honoree “has gone above and beyond.” She goes on to say how she loves Latto’s “soul” and “spirit,” and ends her speech with an appreciative note. “Thank you for always being so kind and genuine,” Chlöe says to the rapper, noting how they share a “sisterhood.”
Chlöe Commemorates Her “Sisterhood” With Latto While Presenting Award
The Powerhouse Award is given to trailblazers within the industry who have earned outstanding sales and streaming numbers. Other honorees of this award include Doja Cat in 2022 and Megan Thee Stallion in 2019. As described in Chlöe’s speech, “Big Energy” remained charted in Billboard’s Top 10 for 10 weeks. Not to mention, this single was Latto’s first to reach number one on any chart. Additionally, Latto has earned several other acclaimed recognitions this past year. BET crowned her as the Best New Artist, and their Hip Hop Awards also announced “Big Energy” as the Song of the Year.
Chlöe and Latto’s friendship was further solidified as the latter grabbed the former’s hand while accepting the award. The pair also posed together on the red carpet, where they exchanged air kisses and goofed around for the cameras. Both artists collaborated last year for “For the Night,” where the two seamlessly fused together their individual musical styles. The music video for the single also reaffirms the pair’s cute and undeniable friendship. Be sure to check out HNHH for more news on hip-hop and pop culture.