The sister duo, Chloe X Halle dropped their album The Kids Are Alright today. The project, which the pair mainly wrote and produced themselves, is an ode to the power that the siblings have found in their own uniqueness and individuality. The project’s title track is a soft fight song, demanding young people be themselves authentically. The Kids Are Alright comes with features from GoldLink and Kari Faux and crosses genres in a way that only teenaged artists not puppeteered by big labels, or Beyoncé, can. Chloe X Halle have the strong benefit of both as they are signed to Bey’s Parkwood Entertainment label. Since inking a deal under the tutelage of the most powerful woman in music, Chloe X Halle have been able to put way more than musical chops on display. If their mentor is any example of their potential, they are on a sure path to the very top.
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Getting themselves noticed as talented harmonizers on YouTube, 19-year-old Chloe and 17-year-old Halle signed with Parkwood in 2013 and have since blossomed into fresh, autonomous artists in their own right. Their co-sign from Beyoncé didn’t come in the form of a feature from the music industry vet, but smaller, softer nods. In 2016 they opened the European leg of the Formation World Tour, exposing themselves to an international fanbase. At the 2017 BET Awards, Chloe x Halle accepted the Viewer’s Choice Award on Beyoncé’s behalf, reading a personal letter of gratitude and letting an urban viewership know that they’re very plugged. They even created a unique art installation at Refinery29’s own 29Rooms. All the while, the musical sensations have been putting out music in the form of EPs and albums that offer a sound all their own.
Yet, the strategy behind their endeavors is undeniable and hard to separate from the woman who declared that she might be a Black Bill Gates in the making. The sisters were the official faces of American Eagle Outfitter’s Holiday collection; and, of course, Beyoncé’s athletic line Ivy Park. They’ve been acknowledged as fashion and beauty icons for their natural locs and alt looks. Several of Chloe x Halle’s songs have been attached to major film and television projects. “Bougie Party” is smooth pre-game record that plays in an episode of Netflix’s Dear White People. They contributed “Warrior” to the official soundtrack for Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle In Time. And as you probably already know, the theme song to Freeform’s grown-ish, starring Yara Shahidi, is also a Chloe x Halle original that you can find in its full glory on The Kids Are Alright.
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The black-ish spin-off is actually the best example of Chloe X Halle making money moves. Not only did they write and perform the theme song, they have recurring roles as Jazz (Chloe) and Sky (Hailey). You will not find all of their eggs in one basket or their income limited to one stream. They play two college track stars trying to make a better life than the one they had in the hood, while in character the pair are frequently wearing, you guessed it, Ivy Park. It’s a connected little world that only someone like Beyoncé could have dreamt up, and one that is going to allow Chloe X Halle to flourish.
Beyoncé wasn’t always the singular powerhouse that we know today, capable of filling stadiums and emptying wallets with a single Instagram post. She started in a girl group, made guest appearances on TV shows, and worked campaigns, just like the two teenagers coming up underneath her. If you’re expecting Chloe X Halle to have a big explosive moment like Cardi B., don’t hold your breath. They are taking a slow, steady path, guided by one of the best to ever do it.