The Untold Truth Of Chlöe Bailey

Halle Bailey may have received an acting nod at the NAACP Image Awards, bagged a role in the remake of "The Color Purple" and landed the part of "The Little Mermaid" lead Ariel in yet another live-action remake of an animated classic. But sibling Chlöe Bailey isn't doing bad on her own, either.

Indeed, since the four-time Grammy-nominated duo Chlöe x Halle decided to take a well-earned break, the oldest of the Bailey siblings has been busy appearing in everything from social media thrillers to scripted podcasts about robot takeovers, while also somehow finding the time to launch her own solo music career.

Indeed, with a debut album and a whole host of film projects on the way, Chlöe Bailey looks set to be just as ubiquitous as an individual as she was one half of the R&B world's hottest sisterly duos. Let's take a look at her untold truth.

Chlöe Bailey and her sister Halle have the kind of relationship with Beyoncé that the most fervent members of the Beyhive can only dream about. The pair were taken under the superstar's wing after covering her track "Pretty Hurts" in 2013, cameoing on her "Lemonade" visual album, signing to her Parkwood Entertainment management company, and providing support on her "Formation World Tour."

But you might not know that Chlöe's connection with Queen Bey goes back to nearly a decade before they were launched to viral fame. Yes, in 2003, the double threat played the younger version of Lilly, the R&B singer that Beyoncé played (we can't imagine she needed to do much research) in musical drama, "The Fighting Temptations."

During a 2022 appearance on "The Terrell Show," Chlöe recalled how joyous the whole experience was: "It's really funny because when I think about that time, when I auditioned, I was 3 and a half years old, it was my very first audition for anything, and I remember meeting her, and I think she was like 22-23 at the time, and she was so nice to me. Like, she would pick me up all the time, and then at the wrap parties, we would dance together. After that, I was like, 'Wow she's so cool.' So, I think that was when my love for her began because a young child remembered how nice she was to me."

Although her sound is steeped in the world of forward-thinking R&B, Chlöe Bailey has often thrown things back to the era that even her parents weren't around to remember. In 2021, she performed a cover version of Nina Simone's 1965 classic, "Feeling Good" on "Good Morning America." Then, a year, later she uploaded a rendition of Minnie Riperton's octave-spanning 1975 hit "Lovin' You."

Unfortunately, Bailey had to deal with several haters after her affectionate homages. After tackling Riperton, the singer was slammed by some for apparently making things too sexual. But proving her clap back skills are as good as her vocals, the double threat responded on Twitter, "I like how you can't criticize my singing or who I am as an artist, so people find something else to find. That's a compliment."

Bailey also suffered a similar backlash to her Simone tribute which she recorded for "Liberated: Music for the Movement Volume 3," an E.P. released to coincide with Juneteenth. But on this occasion, the defense came from the late soul legend's granddaughter. ReAnna Simone Kelly tweeted (via People), "What y'all don't understand is that grandma was a free-spirited woman herself!! She would've loved that performance as much as I do! Relax. Chlöe killed it."

Perhaps taking after her mentor's Sasha Fierce, Chlöe Bailey has developed an alter-ego that comes out whenever she hits the stage. But unlike Beyoncé, the Grammy Award nominee hasn't yet given her the kind of sassy moniker that sounds like a character from a '70s blaxploitation flick.

Bailey, who, of course, is best-known as one half of sisterly duo Chlöe x Halle, revealed to Allure in 2022 how her split personalities differ: "When I'm [not performing], I'm a bubbly, corny, clumsy person. But when the lights turn on, something just happens. I'm somebody else. I feel like it's not fair for us to say we're only one version of who we are. We all have multiple layers to ourselves."

And from the sounds of it, the layer that Bailey shows on stage isn't someone you want to mess with: "Maybe this is a side of me that I've always wanted to get out but I've been too scared. The Chlöe onstage? I'm fearless. I feel sexy. I feel strong. I feel like nothing can hold me back. When I'm off the stage, it's the complete opposite. That version onstage is still a really nice person, but she doesn't take any s***. She knows who she is."

You might expect that a singer who's picked up no fewer than four Grammy Award nominations, scored a string of Hot 100 hits and been constantly championed by the megastar that is Beyoncé would now feel like they've earned their place in the annals of contemporary R&B. But Chlöe Bailey, aka one half of sibling duo Chlöe x Halle, still has to deal with crippling self-doubt.

In a 2021 chat with Refinery 29, the "Grown-ish" star admitted that she suffers from the condition which leaves you feeling like a fraud: "Some of the challenges that I'm navigating that no one really sees is that I'm still battling anxiety and I think I have imposter syndrome, because no matter what I do, I feel like it's never good enough. I'm always trying to beat myself and outdo myself. If I can't or if there's like the slightest struggle, I tend to beat myself up."

Luckily, the "Have Mercy" hitmaker has a productive way of battling with her inner demons: "When I make music, I get out of my head and I stop overthinking and that's when I feel great. It's like I'm finding myself through the music, as I'm creating it." And in another interview with E! News, Chlöe revealed that she also has the support of her sister: "Anytime I'm feeling discouraged, or like if I'm doubting myself, Halle will be the first one to make me snap out of it."

Chlöe Bailey continued to sow the seeds for her solo career in 2022 when she teamed up with rapper Gunna on DS4 track "You and Me." And judging by the rumors that had first surfaced months earlier, the title of the hit appeared to be quite appropriate.

Gunna and Bailey got tongues wagging in October 2021 when they were spotted watching the Atlanta Hawks together. They were later seen celebrating the release of the latter's third album in New York City, and then a month later, they were snapped holding hands while shopping at Hollywood store H. Lorenzo Men. The rapper kept everyone guessing when asked about the state of their relationship by "The Breakfast Club," describing them as "really close friends" before claiming that he was "growing into being ready" for a committed relationship.

Bailey has also remained tight-lipped about her personal life. But she did give an insight into her ideal man in a chat with Allure: "If their heart is made of gold, I'm so in. I just want them to appreciate my nerdy side, my work ethic, and be my best friend." She also added that her perfect guy "has to be someone who's really intellectual because that's sexy." Can someone who's been charged with racketeering after allegedly receiving stolen goods fit that bill?

Having only just established themselves as one of the R&B world's premier duos, Chlöe x Halle's decision to take a break in 2021 seemed like a case of odd timing. Had the pair succumbed to a case of sibling rivalry? Or perhaps there was a dispute over artistic differences? Thankfully, Chlöe and Halle Bailey are still as close as ever — they just fancied spreading their creative wings.

Speaking to Clash in 2022, Chlöe explained why she needed to go it alone: "Going solo happened so organically and I think that surprises people. I'm always producing music, I'm always in the studio but it struck me that I could create a body of work that reflected me, entirely, at this moment in time. I'm so grateful that Halle and I have accomplished so much together that we feel comfortable enough to do separate things. Actually, I think it's important we do."

Chlöe, who has finished recording her debut album as of 2022, admitted that she initially struggled to cope without the support of her younger sibling: "It was weird in the beginning not having someone there you trust implicitly, to bounce off and say: 'What do you think of this?' 'What should I add there?'" However, she enjoyed being able to explore her own path: "The beautiful thing about my sister and I, is that yes, we're so synchronized but we're also two complete individuals with different musical tastes."

Alongside her sister Halle, Chlöe Bailey undoubtedly has social media to thank for her rise to fame. After all, it was on YouTube where the duo's cover of "Pretty Hurts" not only attracted the attention of millions worldwide but also sparked the interest of their eventual superstar mentor Beyoncé. And the eldest of the pair has continued to harness the power of Instagram, Twitter and TikTok throughout her career since.

But Chlöe told "The Breakfast Club" in 2022 that her relationship with social media is complicated, particularly due to the negative comments she receives: "I have an issue because sometimes I'll read it, and then I'll like see that one thing, and it just kind of drives me mad, so I have to stay away from it, but of course, cause it's socials, you're like, 'Okay, I wanna check in, I want to see if people like the song.'"

Although Chlöe, whose follower count across all platforms is well into the millions, acknowledges that online interaction is now part of the game she occasionally wishes it wasn't: "Everything so reliant on numbers and analytics and it's cool cause without social media I wouldn't be here, but sometimes it also sucks the fun out of the art."

Beyoncé, and Beyoncé's mother, might have nothing but good things to say about Chlöe Bailey. But the father of the former Destiny's Child singer apparently doesn't believe that she's fit to lick the boots of his superstar daughter.

During a 2021 appearance on podcast "Leah's Lemonade," Mathew Knowles was asked whether he saw elements of Beyoncé in the older half of Chlöe x Halle. And it's fair to say he wasn't amused, replying, "You've got to be kidding me, right? You're asking me that question. Are you actually serious that you are comparing that young lady to Beyoncé?"

Even when host Leah A. Henry turned the talk toward the possibility of Bailey playing Queen Bey in a biopic, Knowles was still raging: "Okay, you're talking about if somebody was doing a movie, not talent-wise. Talent-wise? Are you telling me talent-wise, somebody is an idiot enough to compare her to Beyoncé, talent-wise? ... They're an idiot. Period." Shortly after the shellshocked host responded, "Well, there you have it," the record executive cut the interview short. Bailey can perhaps take heart from the fact that Knowles has previously insulted everyone from Wendy Williams to Farrah Franklin.

Chlöe Bailey may share an unbreakable bond with her younger sibling Halle. But whatever you do, don't ever compare the two. Speaking to In the Know in 2022, the "Treat Me" hitmaker revealed that her ultimate pet peeve is being thrown into competition with her sister.

"It was very off-putting to know how people would try to put two young Black sisters who love their craft so much and love each other so much, how they try to pit them against each other just because they're different in some ways," Chlöe remarked. "It's any Black, beautiful woman. Any woman, period. It's something all of us go through in our life in any field. It's just more multiplied because of the platform that I'm given on social media."

Chlöe, who also described such comparisons as the "most shallow, disturbing thing," believes it's a problem she'll have to encounter for the rest of her career, too: "No matter what women do, no matter how talented we are, no matter how screwed on our head is, someone will always have a problem because we choose to celebrate our body and the skin that we're in."

Joe Perry's Mango Peach Tango. Patti LaBelle's Cilantro Lime. Michael Madsen's American Bad A** BBQ. You can now add Chlöe Bailey's Make 'Em Sweat to the list of celebrity sauces after the singer teamed up with app DoorDash in 2022. Described as a sweet and smoky blend of ghost peppers, chili sauce, tomato, cayenne peppers and peri-peri, the condiment is designed to reflect the spiciness of the star's debut album.

In a chat with PopSugar, Bailey explained what inspired her to make a foray into the world of takeaway hot sauces: "I'm from the South, so I grew up with a family that loves to cook amazing food and loves to pack on the heat. I could eat hot sauce with almost anything. In fact, I've carried little packs of hot sauce in my handbags to have in handy for when I eat on the go."

And as the ingredient list shows, Make 'Em Sweat is friendly to vegans – just like the "Have Mercy" hitmaker herself. When asked about the best thing to add the sauce to, Bailey suggested cauliflower popcorn chicken, plant-based chicken nuggets and bizarrely, ice cream and watermelon!

Chlöe Bailey essentially put her own spin on Dua Lipa's "New Rules" in 2021 when she listed five dating deal-breakers in a playful chat with E! News Daily Pop. "Don't be cocky" was the first, with "Don't play me," "You better respond to me," "Don't have long fingernails" and "You better smell good" completing the set.

Rapper Gunna, who's been linked with Bailey ever since they were pictured watching an Atlanta Hawks game, must obviously be a well-manicured, pleasantly fragrant and super-attentive partner in that case. But if the pair really are dating, then the "You and Me" hitmaker would also have had to adhere to several other relationship rules including no smooches on a first date. Well, unless you've been in a long-distance situation, that is.

Gunna, five years Bailey's senior, also passes the age test, with the Grammy Award nominee stating that she'd never go out with anyone a decade younger than her: "I have a mature soul. I need someone to teach me some things because I'm gonna be teaching them some things. You know what I mean?"

"Elegant, chic, and elevated" with "boss b**** energy." That's how Chlöe Bailey describes the aesthetics of her 1,300-square-foot home in Los Angeles. And judging by the snaps of the property in Architectural Digest, she's nailed that vibe.

Bailey helped to redesign the apartment, the very first place she's been able to call her own, with her godmother across a five-month period in 2021. "It was so much fun because I always loved her home and her style," she told the aspirational magazine. "[Now] it's like I have a piece of her with me." And their efforts include a book-stacked entryway, light and airy lounge complete with views of the Hollywood sign and a stylish main bedroom that houses her favorite piece of furniture: a queen-size bed.

However, Bailey's favorite space is where the boss b**** energy radiates the most, her workspace. Hailing the area as her zen spot, the "Grown-ish" actor revealed she "wanted it to feel like a big breath of fresh air," something which the midnight blue border rug, velvet sleeper sofa, and recording equipment accompanied by inspirational plaques ("Do Epic S***") undoubtedly achieves.

In 2018, Chlöe Bailey and her sister Halle once again proved that they're just as credible when acting as they are performing kaleidoscopic R&B when they landed roles in one of the many "Black-ish" spin-offs. The former played aspiring Olympian Jazz Forster for four seasons of the college sitcom "Grown-ish," and couldn't be prouder of how the character turned out.

Speaking to Complex in 2021, Bailey said she admired the fact that her character put her sporting ambitions ahead of her relationship with Diggy Simmons' love interest: "I am honestly really proud of Jazz because that was a lot for her. She still loved Doug and to just take a pause so that she could better herself with her track and her career that was really mature of her. I know it will inspire other girls because it inspired me, even."

Bailey, who left the show a year later, went on to add, "I'm not so much like Jazz, I have my head on my shoulders, and I know what I want, and I'm very disciplined, but I do love love, and there's a lot of times where I have to be like 'Okay, sis. You have to balance yourself. Get it together, boo.' And granted that only lasts for like five minutes and I have to snap out of it but still it inspired me, and it still inspires me."

It might not seem that way judging by her confident showings at the Oscars, Met Gala and Billboard Music Awards. But Chlöe Bailey has often struggled when it comes to body positivity. Indeed, speaking to Allure in 2022, "The Georgetown Project" star revealed that the media's attitude toward those with fuller figures left her constantly feeling insecure.

"It's complicated," shared Bailey. "I've always had thick thighs and a butt. But I was growing up at a time when, if someone on television told you that you had a big butt, they meant it as an insult. So, I was a little ashamed of my curves. I tried to hide them. It took a very, very long time. Now my favorite thing about [my body] is my butt."

Luckily, Bailey found inspiration in the shape of other female R&B singers whose bodies she could relate to, one of whom would go on to become her and sister Halle's mentor: "The first woman I saw embrace her body was Beyoncé. Hearing her sing "Bootylicious" or seeing her perform on the BET [Awards] made me feel calm about my body. Also, Jill Scott. She showed me another beautiful, full-figured, thick, sexy, curvaceous [woman]. And I was like, 'that is sexy.'"