Have Mercy: Chloe Bailey Deserves Grace
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We need to start making space for young Black women to grow and evolve.
When I first came across Chloe x Halle, I was delighted with what I found. Here are two beautiful young ladies who are literally sisters, naturally talented, and under the legendary tutelage of the queen of mainstream music, Beyonce Knowles. I mean, what’s not to love, right?!
As time passed, I learned more about them, got acquainted with their impressive acting chops on Grownish, and even saw them perform at the On The Run II tour. As a lover of music and Black women, I was so excited to follow their art and journeys as they matured and came into their own. But, unfortunately, many others don’t seem to share those sentiments.
Growing Pains
Although I was fully prepared for the duo to go their separate ways at some point, I think Halle’s role in the remake of The Little Mermaid hastened the split. As new Disney royalty, Halle has to have a somewhat ‘good girl’ image, and with Chloe becoming more sexually expressive, I think they simply chose to give each other the space and time to try new things.
Otherwise, Chloe’s choices may have been used against Halle, which, as we’ve seen with groups like Xscape, would have likely caused a rift between the two for years to come. So, although I was initially not fond of the idea of the girls going in separate directions, I eventually realized that they most likely did it not only for their careers but also to strengthen their relationship.
To be crystal clear, I fully expect these young ladies to come back together and record a lot more music; I think they are taking a break to find themselves and meet contractual obligations before doing so.
The Critics are Critiquing…
As any creator knows, everybody’s a critic. And in the case of both Halle and Chloe, the world did not disappoint. On the one hand, Halle is being heavily bullied by racists and others who seem to believe that a mythical, red-haired mermaid couldn’t possibly be Black. But, on the other hand, most of the Chloe backlash appears to be because she dares to be a bold, talented artist who can move her body in ways that most only dream of.
