Chloe Bailey is gearing up for her second studio album, ‘Trouble In Paradise,’ and she’s finding inspiration from many places — including her sister Hailey and mentor Beyoncé.
In my recent interview with NYLON magazine, the 25-year-old artist shared her thoughts on how the themes of her new record differ from those of her debut album In Pieces, which mostly covered the extremes of sadness. In contrast, Baxter and Alejandra’s film Trouble in Paradise is a blend of femininity and gaiety, and it celebrates life.
Speaking about the general concept of the record, Chloe said that it’s like it’s a story about a lover, a summer love affair, and that despite knowing that the feeling won’t last long, she’s more than happy to indulge in it anyway.
Acknowledging her path as an artist, Chloe discusses the physical changes she had to go through, the need to fight against the pressures and constant comparisons to her sister Halle, and the difficulties black female artists had to face before giving way to newcomers like Chloe.
Still emerging as an artist, Chloe Bailey is set to share her new artwork ‘Trouble In Paradise’ which sees her pushing herself and learning how to be herself and follow her personal passions in music.
Chloe Bailey finds inspiration from Beyoncé and Whitney Houston
This young talented singer and actress learns from her idol and mentor Beyonce who once set records at the Grammy Awards and also from Whitney Houston, a classic voice icon in the music industry.
In the final episode, Chloe draws parallels between Whitney’s career and the struggles she faces with her own career choices. Just as Whitney experienced torture immediately after shifting from dance-pop, Chloe also had to go through a process of torture to change her musical style.
Beyoncé has not been immune to criticism either, in part due to her previous release Cowboy Carter, in which she experimented with country music. However, responses have started pouring in from Chloe as well, and she praised how Beyoncé stuck to her roots and put the emphasis on her music, proving that music is beyond race or genre of music.
Chloe Bailey specifically highlighted that Whitney Houston has emerged as a woman who inspires millions, while she was once criticized, proving that music is about emotions, not genre. She praised Beyoncé’s attempts to experiment with country music as a part of her music production to prove that music has no boundaries; she also pointed out that African Americans are very connected to most forms of country music.
Acknowledging these inspirations, Chloe Bailey has strengthened her desire for artistic freedom in her upcoming works, thus, further establishing her direction within the context of pop music.
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Chloe Bailey talks solo travel, embracing change, and advice from Beyoncé
In an interview on Latto’s show 777 Radio on Apple Music 1 in March 2023, Chloe explained how people have responded differently to her debut solo songs than they did with Chloe x Halle. She also expressed varying levels of confusion as a result of criticism that characterizes her new course as fake or manufactured.
Chloe partly blamed the issue on the fact that people saw her and her sister Hailey on YouTube as little girls with short hair, creating the expectation that they could not lose hair easily. She further explained that singing and dancing makes her most comfortable and very sexy, telling everyone that her new look is real and a result of her passion.
Although criticism can sometimes affect her, Chloe admits that the debates her songs generate are important to her. Despite expressing her frustrations at not being able to do as well as other stars in the music industry, she humbly acknowledges her limitations.
Speaking about her mentor Beyoncé, who is 42 and topping the charts, Chloe shared the advice Beyoncé gave her and Halle: sometimes it’s important to wait for the world to change, because they’re often on the cutting edge of what they’re doing.
Through self-realization and societal changes, as Chloe Bailey has demonstrated through her solo projects and personal growth, everyone should be able to follow their passions and not lose their true identity while facing the responsibilities and obstacles that come with moving forward on their own.
Chloe Bailey looking forward to fans’ response to Trouble in Paradise album
Chloe Bailey also revealed that Beyoncé herself listened to her entire album In Pieces and even gave feedback on some of the songs before the album was released, and that is a feeling she never wants to lose. She thanked Beyoncé via Snapchat and said that it is a really big deal and she has a lot of love for her in her heart.
Finally, just like Beyoncé’s help, Chloe is excited to see how fans react to her new record, Trouble in Paradise. She says her art usually makes people laugh and the more they listen to it the more they develop an appreciation. The sentiment she expressed is also echoed in the surprise element seen in her previous collaborative work with her sister, Halle. Chloe feels confident about the album’s success as the first reactions haven’t exactly been positive among the public.
Yes, that’s where Halle can be heard on ‘Trouble in Paradise,’ although Chloe didn’t reveal which song it is. Halle said that they both have their own lifestyles now, and Halle recently gave birth to a son from DDG. Still, she realized that both girls have a lot of work ahead of them, and the audience would still crave for another collaboration like the previous one.
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