The mornings get chillier and the leaves get crunchier as we approach autumn, but I’m still thinking about Chloe x Halle’s album that came out over the summer. I was reminded of it by the MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 30, and while I must admit I didn’t watch them, I did see a video of Chloe x Halle’s pre-show performance that absolutely mesmerized me.
Why the duo didn’t receive a mainstage performance slot at the awards, I’ll never know. Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey, a fierce pop duo, already have quite the resumé at 20 and 22 years old. After being discovered by Beyonce and signed to her agency, the sisters have opened for Beyonce and Jay-Z’s “On The Run II Tour,” sang the National Anthem at the 2019 Super Bowl, co-starred in three seasons of the sitcom “Grown-ish,” released two albums and earned two Grammy nominations, and Halle was cast as “Ariel” in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” This duo is worthy of more than a pre-show slot, and their VMA performance proved just that.
Chloe x Halle sang the title song from “Ungodly Hour” dressed in sleek, metallic, futuristic costumes. What immediately captured my attention was the power in their stage presence; their performance is a masterclass in the art of stillness. In fact, their stillness inspired my own, as I had no choice but to freeze and devote my entire attention to their performance. Their choreography consisted of subtle yet sharp movements but still managed to capture this essence of stillness. As a music theater student who pays an “ungodly” amount of money to learn how to stand still while singing, I know how difficult it is, and it’s clear to me it comes naturally to the sisters—maybe it runs in the family.
The sisters dance in place but don’t move from their spot the entirety of the song. The lyrics to “Ungodly Hour” speak from a very grounded perspective of women who are through playing games with emotionally immature romantic partners. The chorus reads, “When you decide you like yourself (Holler at me) / When you decide you need someone (Call up on me) / When you don’t have to think about it / Love me at an ungodly hour.” So, in a song about not begging for love and making potential partners come to them on their terms, their stillness is genius as it only asserts their dominance over the situation even more.
“Ungodly Hour” was released on June 12, a week after its original release date in order to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the Black Out Tuesday of the music industry on June 2.
The track “Overwhelmed” speaks on a feeling of helplessness many of us experienced this summer in one way or another, whether you connect its meaning with the struggle for racial equality, the pandemic or whatever else you experienced. This song is brief, yet powerful. The duo sings about wanting to look on the bright side but feeling desperate for rest. They sing, “Running so fast, I done worn my shoes / Head on the pavement / I’m just trying to win / Pushed in the river I swim,” about having to continually show up and drag on when they’re struggling to get by. The lyrics “I don’t do well under pressure / I don’t know at all / I wish I had all the answers / Fix it all myself (oh) / I feel overwhelmed,” are relatable to just about everyone during this pandemic. The tone of the song is calm and smooth despite the anxious message of coping with uncertainty.
Chloe x Halle have this smoothness about them throughout the entire album. The album may be ungodly, but their voices are heavenly as they angelically harmonize with each other. Even in songs like “Tipsy,” the sisters effortlessly weave between a sustained chorus and rapping while never losing this sense of soothing steadiness in their voices. In the suave “Wonder What She Thinks of Me,” the sisters snap as they sing about the ‘other women’ in an affair, and the soundscape is a slowed-down doo-wop pop ballad, showcasing their stylistic range.
The most typical pop song on the album is “ROYL,” which stands for ‘rest of your life.’ The lyrics encourage the listener to live in the moment for the rest of their lives and abandon the sense of fear that’s so engraved in them. They sing, “You wanna fly but you don’t / You holdin’ on your wings / Look to the sky, why don’t you / Live for the finer things?” While “Wonder What She Thinks of Me” has a more mature tone, “ROYL” has a feel-good, teenage vibe that should definitely be on your summer 2020 playlist.
I think “Ungodly Hour” is one of the best albums of the year so far, and Chloe x Halle should definitely be on your radar. They have a distinct style that’s both ethereal and powerful. This album represents Chloe and Halle as young women who are confident in themselves and in their sexuality, something that’s hard to do when celebrities grow up in the media’s spotlight. The “Intro” track of “Ungodly Hour” represents this in a mere 28 seconds: the only words spoken are “Don’t ever ask for permission / Ask for forgiveness.” They unapologetically expressed themselves regardless of what the public would think of them, and I think it’s fair to say we loved it. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of Chloe x Halle in the future.
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