Fans shared their photos of the concert, capturing a background featuring a sampling of the critical comments that Chlöe has received over the past several months, including such missives as “Why is her ass always out?” and “She doesn’t know who she is.” In addition to performing in defiance of these criticisms, she apparently also returned to the stage after performing for an encore of sorts in which she shared her explicative-laden thoughts on the subject at hand.
“F*ck what the f*ck anybody wanna f*ckin’ say,” she snarled. “They can kiss my Black ass.”
The In Pieces Tour was incredible!!! You did such an awesome job boo!! @ChloeBailey had to let y’all mfs know stop playing on her name! pic.twitter.com/aLafNKPHy3
Never forget: Chloe X Halle are from Atlanta, Georgia. They do not play that.
Despite a seemingly lukewarm fan reception for In Pieces, the album still reached the Billboard 200 and as the videos show, she’s still got plenty of support in her corner, regardless of the social media perception. After removing social media from her phone, it seems Chlöe isn’t just “clearer” as she put it, but freer to say exactly what she thinks, online backlash be damned.
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.
All of that culminated in In Pieces debuting at No. 119 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated April 15. As noted by Chart Data, it marks Chlöe’s first time charting on the Billboard 200 as a solo artist.
Chloe X Halle peaked at No. 16 and No. 139 for Ungodly Hour and The Kids Are Alright, respectively.
Chlöe referenced her musical beginnings with her sister, Halle Bailey, while addressing the criticism she has endured in the wake of In Pieces.
“The thing is, 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,” she said during an appearance on Atlanta’s Majic 107.5 radio station. “Because Sis and I, we’ve been underground for a minute, and the same people who talk, they weren’t around then or giving us our props then. It’s like, now they want to talk trash for some reason.” Missy Elliott is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It’s no secret that internet trolls love to throw shade at artists based on their first-week sales numbers – particularly women in the industry. In the past, names like Saweetie and Doja Cat have been clowned for selling less than 10K or failing to chart. Now, it’s Chlöe who’s feeling the heat. After teasing her fans for over a year, the R&B darling finally unveiled her In Pieces album back in March. It boasts impressive solo efforts, as well as features from the likes of Chris Brown, Missy Elliott, and Future.
The Atlanta-born artist poured plenty of hard work and dedication into the 14-track effort. Ultimately, however, she seems to have missed the mark with most of her audience. After an impressive rollout, Chlöe’s In Pieces moved just 10K units in its first week out, charting at #119 on the weekly Billboard 200 update. In comparison, she and little sister Halle Bailey sold 24K units with their joint project, Ungodly Hour, which charted much higher at #16.
Chlöe’s First Solo Album Debuts at #119
Chlöe’s ‘In Pieces’ debuts at #119 on this week’s Billboard 200 (10K sold; @ChloeBailey).
@chartdata shared the numbers via Twitter early on Monday (April 10) morning. Since then, users have had plenty to say about In Pieces. “Who cares where it charted? It was an amazing project,” one person insisted. In response, someone else chimed in, “It seemed rushed, I didn’t like it.” Elsewhere, some blamed Beyoncé’s lack of support as a reason for Chlöe’s flop, while others accused her fans of not showing out for her in the way that they should. “If her fanbase wouldn’t compare her to artists 30x bigger than her and actually bought her music this wouldn’t have happened,” they wrote alongside a GIF of an exasperated Bad Bunny pouring himself a drink.
Further down in the replies, another fan reminded us that Doja Cat’s Hot Pink project sold just 7.9K units following its debut, ultimately landing at #93 on Billboard‘s ranking. Even with such low initial numbers, the Planet Her hitmaker has still gone on to have a successful career, in the same way that the “Surprise” songstress is bound to as well. Keep scrolling to read more Twitter reactions to Chlöe’s first-week sales. Afterward, tell us your thoughts on her In Pieces album in the comments.
if her fanbase wouldn’t compare her to artists 30x bigger than her and actually bought her music this wouldn’t have happened pic.twitter.com/YGU5NGWw6j
— Ad☈iann (not a celebrity) (@adriann_pov) April 10, 2023
Y’all don’t realise that she made this album for the arts and not for the charts… Like leave sister alone!
— you’re on your own, b*tch (@w_x_l_t_r_p_c_k) April 10, 2023
Chloe Bailey says that she’s opted not to be involved in any of her social media accounts. Appearing on The Tamron Hall Show, Bailey explained how she came to terms with that decision and the effects it has had. She says that the constant influx of negativity was draining.
“For a minute, I removed all socials off my phone and I just turned it over to my team,” she said. “Of course I’d make the content, I’d come up with the captions and I would just send it to them, but I got rid of my social media because I realized the things people were saying.”
Chloe Bailey At The Grammys
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 03: Chloe Bailey attends the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
She continued: “The negative things people were saying about me were affecting me, and I noticed if I’d go out on stage or ‘if I do this people are gonna say this,’ and I realized that I was changing myself for other people and their opinions and what they were accusing me of originally, which was not being myself and being forced, that’s what I was tuning into because I was so occupied with what people thought about me, but the second I deleted the apps off my phone, I was mentally so much clearer because you’re doing what makes you happy.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Bailey also opened up about dealing with depression. She explained that it wasn’t related to her career or music but instead “personal internal things.” She further added that she’s doing better lately. “You have your ups and you have your downs,” she said. “It’s never going to be a steady course, but at least I feel confident enough in knowing this life is worth living for.”
Bailey’s discussion with Tamron Hall comes after the release of her long-awaited debut album, In Pieces. Additionally, she recently starred in Donald Glover’s new Amazon Prime series, Swarm. With regard to that, she also admitted that she hasn’t seen the backlash in relation to her controversial sex scene on the show.
Chlöe dropped one of the most anticipated R&B releases of the year with the album In Pieces. Moreover, she just performed it live for the first time, as she played the project’s title track on The Today Show and celebrated the occasion on Instagram. “Performed in pieces live for the first time today on the @todayshow,” she captioned the post with a piano and heart (no, the real heart) emoji. Donning sparkly necklaces and a simple red hoodie, she played on the piano for a tender and dramatic display of emotion.
However, this promotional rollout for the album (on top of critical and commercial success) involved a ton of gossip, public statements from the singer, and other notable extracurriculars from the music, which still deserves most of the attention. Some were lighter, like her rumored romance with Quavo. Others were more salacious in tone, with many criticizing her embracing her sexuality in a more overt way. Regardless of what you think of either of those, she drew a lot of flack for her Chris Brown collab, which many criticized given his history of abuse. While speaking on the V-103 podcast, she opened up about the backlash in a more detailed way.
“I always just wanna let the music speak for itself,” she remarked. “And to be honest, no matter what I do, people always find things to say about it, so I’m used to it. I just choose to ignore it. People have every right to their opinions, freedom of speech, and it’s up to me to choose what I give my attention and energy to. Everything I’m doing is ordained by God, and I’m walking in my purpose, and anybody who has a problem with that can kiss my booty.”
Meanwhile, a less egregious example of backlash occurred over her sex scene in the series Swarm, which many took issue with. However, she responded in a similar fashion when asked about it by Big Boy, albeit concerning a much less damaging controversy. “So I’m an actress, you know?” Chlöe began. “And I feel like it’s about art. When I first received the script, it was just insane and gorgeous. I think people are actually forgetting the plot of that scene. It’s not about seeing me in the mirror of that scene. But I think because it’s me doing it, that’s what kind of makes it blow out of proportion.” Regardless of your takes on these topics, return to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Chlöe.
“I always just wanna let the music speak for itself, and to be honest, no matter what I do, people always find things to say about it, so I’m used to it. I just choose to ignore it. People have every right to their opinions, freedom of speech, and it’s up to me to choose what I give my attention and energy to.”
In another recent interview, she also addressed negativity, saying, “The thing is, 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.”
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.
Not everyone gets guidance from Beyoncé ahead of their debut album but Chlöe isn’t just anybody. With the anticipation surroundingIn Pieces at an all-time high ahead of its release last Friday, the singer faced the public with a departure from the sisterly duo that is Chlöe x Halle. In Pieces finds the Georgia singer shining on her own and sharing the stage with stars like Missy Elliott, Future, and Chris Brown for an incredible debut.
During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Chlöe opened up about Bey’s guidance throughout the process of In Pieces. She explained that the “Cuff It” star shared notes with her after listening to the album in its entirety. “Yes, I know she listened to the album,” Bailey said. “She gave me notes on it before I released it.” Chlöe added, “I love her so much. Dearly, dearly, and I’m so grateful to her for everything.” She didn’t necessarily clarify what the exact notes were but we could imagine that Bey had some valuable gems to drop.
Chlöe Speaks On Beyoncé’s Advice
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Chloe Bailey of Chloe x Halle performs onstage during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Chlöe x Halle signed a management deal with Parkwood Entertainment in 2015 before the release of their debut album, The Kids Are Alright. The two would later join Bey as the opening act on The Formation World Tour in 2016. However, Chlöe’s history with Beyoncé goes back nearly two decades. The “Cheatback”star appeared as a young version of Beyoncé’s character Lilly in The Fighting Temptations in 2003. Bey witnessed their growth first-hand and continues to play a pivotal role in their careers.
Besides her debut album, Chlöe and her sister Halle also make a mark in the world of film and television. Most recently, she appeared in Donald Glover’s new series Swarm as Marissa Jackson. Additionally, she also has a few major film roles in the works. The upcoming horror film The Georgetown Project stars Bailey as Blake Holloway, She’s also set to appear in the upcoming musical comedy, Praise This! Meanwhile, Halle Bailey will star in the upcoming remake of The Little Mermaid. We’ll keep you posted on any more updates on Chloe. Let us know how you feel about In Pieces in the comments below.
As Chloe Bailey (aka Chlöe) recently dropped her anticipated new album, In Pieces, the multi-hyphenate performer shared some insight with Entertainment Tonight about the role her mentor, none other than Beyoncé, played in the process. Bailey is also signed to Bey’s Parkwood label.
“Yes, I know she listened to the album,” Bailey said. “She gave me notes on it before I released it.”
“I love her so much. Dearly, dearly, and I’m so grateful to her for everything,” she added.
She had first joined the label in 2015, as the Chloe x Halle duo with her sister, Halle Bailey — who is playing the main role in Disney’s The Little Mermaid live-action film. Chlöe has also dabbled in acting, as she recently had a role in Prime Video’s Swarm and made waves online with a sex scene. Still, the attention isn’t affecting her too much, as she has her sights set on what’s next — which is a role in Peacock’s Praise This film.
Bailey also shared with the outlet that she feels like a pressure has been lifted now that In Pieces has been released.
“I was so nervous, and now I just feel at peace,” she explained. “I’m so happy it’s out. I got to say everything I wanted to say, and I hope people get an insight more into who Chlöe is.”
https://t.co/8AjWSaplQH
@ChloeBailey had to let y’all mfs know stop playing on her name! pic.twitter.com/aLafNKPHy3
(@JayTheeA) April 12, 2023
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