Chloe x Halle: Their Process, Family, and Ungodly 2020
By Kyle Henderson
Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey, better known as the duo Chloe x Halle, held an intimate concert via Zoom on Friday, November 13, which was followed by an interview conducted by SU sophomore Megan Simon. The sister duo discussed their latest album, Ungodly Hour, which was released in June, as well as their creative process and what it has been like for them to navigate the music industry at such a young age.
For the performance, the duo gave a stripped back performance of various songs in their catalogue, including “Happy Without Me,” “Forgive Me,” and their latest hit from their new album, “Do it.”
The entire performance served as a reminder of the duo’s raw talent. They flew through six songs with ease, harmonizing effortlessly and making high notes look easy. The two are already fantastic vocalists on their own, but when they come together it truly sounds magical.
The sisters also talked about the creative process behind their music. They discussed how they often bounce ideas off of each other and use their differing music preferences as an advantage. “Most of the time we really mesh the ideas together, really, because we have two completely different music tastes,” Chloe said. “I think that's what makes our music so layered because of all of the different influences that we have separately on our own.” They also discussed how their family plays a role in this process as well, with their younger brother, Branson, often acting as a mediator between the sisters when they disagree on certain elements in their music.
For Ungodly Hour, the duo decided that they wanted to adopt a more mature look and sound that reflected their own personal growth over the past few years. This was the inspiration for the album cover, which depicts them with metal angel wings and black latex dresses, as they felt it contrasted with their public image as “angels” by showing that there is more to their identity than simply that. “We went with the artwork with the hard latex dresses and metal wings because…. there’re layers to us.” Chloe said.
The pair elaborated on how performing has helped them grow in confidence and how they love seeing so many people enjoy their work. They recalled their shock and excitement at seeing crowds of people sing their lyrics back to them.
The pair also talked about their experience growing up and maturing within the music industry. Due to being involved in the entertainment industry ever since they were kids, it has led to the sisters having a pretty unconventional upbringing. At one point, Halle even discussed how she had to miss her high school prom, as she was set to perform at Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world. While missing out on normal moments like those can be frustrating, she’s come to realize that her music serves a greater purpose, and she feels lucky to be able to share it with others. “I pinch myself every day,” Halle elaborated, “I'm grateful and I feel blessed to be able to do what I love for a living.”