TRACK BY TRACK: Chlöe Bailey’s 'In Pieces'

Chlöe Bailey is a multi-faceted actress, singer, and producer. After being noticed by Beyoncé and signed to Parkwood Entertainment with her sister, Halle Bailey, to form the duo Chloe x Halle, she has been making big career movies. Chlöe has appeared in a plethora of movies and TV shows, including “Grownish” alongside her sister Halle. She can currently be seen in the Peacock original movie Praise This as well as Prime Video's buzzy (pun intended?) “Swarm”. Outside of her acting, Chlöe Bailey is a 4-time Grammy nominated artist for her and her sister's debut album The Kids Are Alright. As Chlöe is now focusing on solo work, she just released her solo album, In Pieces, and it is very well-thought-out, filled with raw emotions and tons of beautiful vocals. So, of course, the minute the album came out, we had to go and take a listen. Let’s break her album down song-by-song and vocal-by-vocal!

1. "Someone’s Calling"

On the first track, listeners get an introduction to the sounds of the trumpet and a strong vocal arrangement. This piece serves as an intro to the album. Deep choral voices echoing “Chlöe” give this a sound that resonates with listeners. “Nightshade’s fallin’, hear him sigh” is one of the lyrics in this intro, which is interesting because Nightshade is actually a poisonous flower, so maybe this poison is being released from somewhere, making way for something else.

Favorite Lyrics: “Empty Spaces in his eyes / Empty arms outstretched, he’s crying...”

2. "Pray It Away"

In this song, Chlöe takes us to church, giving listeners an insight into how she deals with some of her own problems, showing listeners that, sometimes, in order for you to be able to move past something that really hurt you, you have to call on a higher power to provide you with guidance and strength to move on. She continues to lean into this idea that it’s okay to make mistakes and nobody is perfect. The sounds of the organ and piano create a soulful vibe bringing all listeners home.

Favorite Lyrics: “Maybe I should go and take it to church and wash it away...”

3. "Body Do"

Chlöe switches up the tempo on this next song, starting off with a banger: “Do you ever wonder who else is f------g your man?” What a way to start off a song! Chlöe brings an uptempo electronic vibe with a quick drum beat. This song definitely has a club vibe with a dance-y feel.

Favorite Lyrics: “I hate that it is like this / I deserve better, but I want the feelin’...”

4. "I Don’t Mind"

This song starts off with a beautiful acoustic guitar accompanied by maracas and a low bass, giving off Spanish flamenco vibes. And if you know anything about flamenco, it’s a style of dance that is very sensual and sexy, all about desire and wants. Chlöe’s song also echoes this, as she starts off the song with the lyrics “Boy, you still in love / Boy, you sick in love...” She knows that this boy is still in love with her, and while she may not be in love with this guy the way he’s in love with her, she doesn’t mind the way he feels.

Favorite Lyrics: “ I know, sometimes that you feel you want us back / I know / But boy, it’s okay, don’t be emotional...”

5. "Worried"

This song opens up with a beautiful array of vocals, then we still keep the acoustic guitar feel in this song. She keeps the same theme of someone being worried about her but she’s not worried about them. It seems Chlöe understands that this person isn’t good for her and they are not worth her time or her worry.

Favorite Lyrics: “If you spend all the time you spend on me on yourself then you’ll get peace of mind / You could be somebody else...”

6. "Fallin 4 U"

This song serves as an interlude for the album, featuring a conversation between two people about their roles in the relationship.

Favorite Lyrics: “Because I don’t need a man to dictate to me if I should put his food on the table… it’s a choice I will make. My choice.”

7. "How Does It Feel" feat. Chris Brown

Chlöe released this song a few weeks before her album dropped, and it's an amazing song featuring soft electric guitar in the background and a soft drum beat. This song follows two people, seemingly in love, and realizing that it might not work out anymore. This song is beautiful and written from the heart, as both Chlöe and Chris Brown sing opposing sides to the heartbreak.

Favorite Lyrics: “Gave you the key where my heart beat / You didn’t say it but you said it...”

8. "Feel Me Cry"

Chlöe’s vocals continue to stun as she pours raw emotions into this ballad. Piano follows her vocals as she sings about love and being able to have somebody’s back the way they do for her: Chlöe seems to be showing the emotions that come with being loved right and how it feels.

Favorite Lyric: “You feel like heaven stars, oh / Fallin’ for you deep like a leanin’ tree...”

9. "Make it Look Easy"

This song has so much vulnerability within it. It seems like a letter from Chlöe to herself, wondering what is going on with herself and how she makes it look easy. Maybe the fame? The constant working? She makes it look easy, but deep down inside, it’s not, and nobody can see that. She shows a lot of her inner thoughts in this song and shows her listeners that, even though she makes it look easy, it’s not. Toward the end of the song, a beautiful encore of violin brings the song to a powerful end, almost like something you’d hear in the battle scene of a movie. Maybe this is her battle to fight, and that’s why she chose to bring the song to a close this way.

Favorite Lyrics: “Sometimes, I just feel I never get it right / Even when I try, I say, ‘What’s wrong with you?'”

10. "Looze You"

Chlöe brings the album back up in this beautiful song filled with a neo-soul guitar feel. Personally, this is my favorite song on the album! Chlöe sings about not wanting to lose someone but also knows that this person is not for her and she has to choose herself. I can see a lot of growth here as Chlöe explains that she has to put herself first no matter what.

Favorite Lyrics: “I don’t wanna lose you, boy, but I’ve gotta save myself / Can’t count on anybody else / I don’t wanna lose you, boy, but I’ve gotta chain myself / Can’t count on anybody else...”

11. "Told Ya" feat. Missy Elliott

Chlöe seemingly gains her confidence as she brings the tempo back up and shows people that, although her fight has been hard, she’s going to make it through.

Favorite Lyrics:  “I thought I told ya, b*tch, I’m a soldier...”

12. "Cheatback" feat. Future

It is clear that Chlöe loves some acoustic sounds. This song is backed by a slow strum on the guitar as she sings about someone who cheated on her and how she wants to get them back for what they did. But she knows that crying or waiting to hear from him won’t do anything.

Favorite Lyrics: “I’m not gonna answer your calls whenever you’re down / I’m not gonna bleach your clothes / I’m not gonna do you like that...”

13. "Heart on My Sleeve"

Chlöe separates parts of her album with pieces that are about 1 minute long and filled with deep vocals, constantly amazing listeners with her vocal abilities. This piece is another short one before we are led into the final song.

Favorite Lyrics: “Yeah, I got a confession / I’m feelin’ under pressure / Wish I had all the answers...”

14. "In Pieces"

Chlöe closes out her album with the title track, a much simpler song compared to others with just a slow piano being played in the background. It seems that this song can be interpreted by listeners in multiple ways -- to one person, this could be talking about love, but to Chlöe, it might mean how she wants others to view her or how she doesn’t want to let go of her love of music. There are a bunch of things this song could be talking about. But Chlöe admits that she is in pieces. If there’s anything Chlöe does in this song, it’s stress the importance of getting help when you are going through something so you don’t lose yourself amongst those scattered pieces.

Favorite Lyrics: “I would die to keep you in my veins / I wanna be where you are...”

In Pieces is a beautiful album, and we were definitely not disappointed, consistently amazed by Chlöe’s vocals and track arrangements! If you take a listen to this album and find yourself in love with her songs, Chlöe is also going on tour and there are still some tickets left so make sure to take a look and try to see her on tour!