When fans ask, Chloe x Halle delivers. Although Covid-19 has affected the production of many musicians’ projects, it was no match for the two. Chloe x Halle released a chrome edition to their highly anticipated album Ungodly Hour, which shook the entire music industry.
Chloe Elizabeth Bailey and Halle Lynn Bailey were first introduced to music by their father, Doug Bailey, at the ages of ten (Chloe) and eight (Halle).
The two then began uploading song covers to YouTube and decided to be called Chloe x Halle. One of the first covers the two did was to the Beyonce song, “Best Thing I Never Had” in 2011. After they did the second cover of a Beyonce song in 2013, “Pretty Hurts” the internet went crazy for the two and their insane vocal abilities. The video created so much buzz that Beyonce saw it and shared it on her Facebook page. Shortly after the two were signed to a 1 million dollar record deal with Beyonce’s label Parkwood Entertainment at the age of 18 (Chloe) and 16 (Halle).
Since signing with Parkwood Entertainment, the two have managed to gain a large following and established their joint social platforms. From releasing covers on YouTube to creating their own studio albums.
Chloe x Halle released their debut album The Kids Are Alright back in 2018, but it did not do so well on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart. The album peaked at 139 back on March 7, 2018, and only stayed on the chart for one week.
Rather than letting the minimal success discourage them, Chloe x Halle came back harder with their highly anticipated album, Ungodly Hour. This album exceeded The Kids Are Alright tremendously by peaking at number 16. The album peaked at 16 on June 27, 2020, and stayed on the chart for six weeks. In addition to this success, Ungodly Hour debuted at number-one on the iTunes music chart shortly after the initial release back on June 12, 2020.
With the amount of success Ungodly Hour has brought the two, they decided to surprise fans with a chrome edition of the album. For most artists, this is known as a deluxe album, Chloe x Halle just decided to put a twist on it. A deluxe album or ‘chrome album’ consists of the original album repackaged with unreleased music that accompanies the original album. This also included an updated chrome aesthetic album cover. The chrome edition was released earlier this year on March 1 and featured two new songs “Hazy” and “80/20.”
Unfortunately, the Chrome Edition did not end up charting on the Billboard Hot 200. It did however chart at number 71 on the iTunes Chart, which is better than their debut album. Album sales are an essential key to charting high on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart, and since they did not release a physical copy of the chrome edition at the time, it did not chart high. Thankfully though, they are releasing the physical copy in CD and Vinyl form later this year. It will not be available to purchase until July 9, however, fans can pre-order it on third-party sites like Amazon. With physical copies being released later this year and streams still increasing daily, there is a strong possibility the album can chart.
Diving into the album itself, it is one of Chloe x Halle’s most cohesive albums to date. The album holds 15 tracks, most notably “Do It,” “Ungodly Hour,” “Forgive Me” and “Hazy.”
From the first track of the album, fans are welcomed with a captivating intro titled “Intro.” The sound is what I’d imagine would be playing in the background as the gates of heaven open. While “Intro” relies heavily on Chloe x Halle’s vocals, it does have a few words towards the end that play well into the angelic-like vibe. “Don’t ever ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.”
One of the best promotional tools to engage with the younger generation now for musicians is having your song go viral on TikTok. Chloe x Halle created a dance for “Do It” and shortly after, a large majority of TikTok was recreating their dance which made the song go viral. The song has a highly contagious beat that makes a person want to get up and dance, so using TikTok was a smart choice. With the amount of success the song gained, the two released it as a single from the album and eventually released a music video to accompany it.
The ‘Do It’ sound on TikTok has close to 500,000 users using the sound. This includes viral sensation Charli Damiolo (the most followed person on TikTok) who’s video has over seven million likes. Other famous creators like Tony Lopez, Michael Le, Madi Monroe and many more have also joined in on using the sound.
As for the bonus tracks, I think they blend perfectly with the rest of the album creating a cohesive project. The album embodies independence, self-worth, and is the perfect album for anyone who feels confident and empowered after a breakup. Both “Hazy” and “80/20” reflect the same energy as the rest of the album making it nearly impossible for anyone to realize they were bonus tracks.
“80/20” is the final track on the album, which was the best decision Chloe x Halle could have made for this project. While the rest of the album reflects independence and confidence, “80/20” adds a bit of a twist. While still incorporating those emotions, this song talks more about temptation seeping through]. It was an empowering statement that shows the temptation is still there, but the willpower to fight against it is stronger. This tied the entire album together creating a masterpiece.
Chloe x Halle were able to come back from a lack of success of their debut album and create a memorable album. If you haven’t already, make sure to give Ungodly Hour Chrome Edition a listen. The album is available on all streaming platforms including Tidal Music, Apple Music and Spotify.
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