Chlöe Bailey from the singing sister duo Chlöe x Halle has returned with another hit single, “Treat Me,” released April 8 2022. With lyrics like “Exceptional/ You know anything less is unacceptable” and “Confessional, I’m skeptical/’Cause being on my level is difficult/ You better wake up and put me on a pedestal,” Bailey is showing the world not only her newfound confidence but also her growth into womanhood.
Recently embarking on her own solo artist endeavors, with her first song “Have Mercy,” Bailey is back stronger than ever with the recent release of the song “Treat Me” and accompanying music video. Between flashes of being in a pit of hot honey to scenes with a live tiger, the music video has already grossed 5,138,801 million views, 264,000 thousand likes and is sure to capture the attention of more audiences. The current reach and platform of the star are not appreciated without remembrance of her humble beginnings.
Born and raised in Atlanta Georgia, it was at 10 years old that Chlöe took an interest in music. With the encouragement of her father, she and her sister Halle began to learn how to write their own songs. From there, with the help of YouTube videos and online tutorials, Bailey taught herself the piano and began to learn the skills needed for music production. In an interview with Billboard, Chlöe shares “There weren’t people there to do it for us, so it’s like, well, you know what, two little Black girls, we’re gonna take it in our own hands and we’re gonna do it ourselves, that’s how it kinda got started.” From home practices and church performances – with permission from their parents – uploaded performances to YouTube, they slowly began to grow in skill and popularity. The duo truly found stardom when a cover of Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts” went viral and gained the attention of Beyoncé herself.
“We had done a bunch of Beyoncé covers and this one cover of “Pretty Hurts” started to go more viral than usual. We were like oh that’s cool, yada yada, whatever whatever. We discovered she wanted to mentor us in a way of guiding us along as artists, as young Black women, and being young Black women. Sometimes you really need to be reminded that you have the power,” said Halle in conversation with Billboard.
Through the mentorship of Beyoncé, both Chlöe and Halle have become well rounded artists with a unique sound. Producing three hit albums, the duo has secured their place in the music industry. Now embarking on solo endeavors, Chlöe is still using the advice of Beyoncé for inspiration. “I love her so much…we talk about anything and everything. I am so grateful to have her stamp of approval and, you know, she always gives me words of encouragement. It’s like what she says [is] kinda dope because she’s been there, she’s done that. And to know that the advice she’s giving me is exactly from the place I’ve been, it’s pretty cool and inspiring,” said Chlöe in an interview with The Breakfast Club.
Even the help of Beyoncé can’t stop the haters from hating. Throughout much of Chlöe’s solo career, she has experienced harassment from online trolls and criticism, many deeming her display of new found confidence and sexuality as “too sexy.” But Chlöe remains true to herself. Stating in an interview with Refinery29 Chlöe shares “I don’t purposely try to do ‘too much…I’m just being who I am, unapologetically and completely, and if people think that’s doing too much, well then, I guess I am. I would be doing a disservice to myself if I tried to be less than who I am and dim my light.” Echoing similar sentiments in an interview with The Breakfast Club, Chlöe laments on “I’ve always been doing too much ever since I was a little girl, and it’s who I am. I have so much passion and fire in my heart and it just comes alive when I’m on the stage and I have so much to give. I think that’s what people are seeing.”
And seeing it we are. From her live performances to her music videos, Chlöe owns every bit of who she is and who she wishes to be. From her shy personality to a new stage and chapter of confidence as a young woman, Chlöe is not backing down to haters but rather using her music as a tool of expression. When asked about her first single “Have Mercy,” Chlöe shares with Refinery 29 “It was about me responding to everyone and almost really owning who I am and accepting myself and my body. The person that I am on the song is where I’m trying to get mentally.”
The young woman seen in the “Have Mercy” video has grown vastly and can be seen stronger in the “Treat Me” video. Fully showing off and embracing her curves, displaying her sickening dance moves, and singing about her own worth in being treated like she treats herself, the song and video are a testament to her growth as an artist, a woman, and her ability to love her body “equally each day.” Chlöe continued on in her Refinery 29 interview “The journey of learning to love my body has its highs and lows. Some days I look in the mirror and love what I see and some days, not so much. I’m still learning to love it equally each day.”
Chlöe Bailey’s journey to stardom and body positivity and acceptance offer a lesson to all the little young Black girls dreaming of success and body confidence. Her career serves as a reminder that no matter the resources, a passion and a dream are all that’s needed to nurture a skill and showcase a talent. Her representation as a young, curvy, beautiful brown-skinned girl with locs shows that no matter how the world might perceive or receive you, keep shining and being yourself. Some days we might not feel our most confident, but that’s natural. Chlöe is reminding the world that taking confidence one day at a time is normal and showing us that the outcome is not only a glow that leaves us feeling good, but one that also inspires.