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scan.lancastersu.co.uk SCANLU SCANLancaster15M u s i cMUSIC EDITORS:Valentina Caneschi& Lexi JoyceChloe and Chlöe:The ThematicThroughlines of aSuperstarEfe Imoyin-OmeneASSOCIATE EDITORChlöe was introduced to the world as ChloeBailey, one half of the genre b(l)endingsister duo Chloe X Halle. Together, theyhave achieved great success.But when the two set off on their solo endeavours,many criticised Chlöe’s progression into overtsexuality and a more pop-friendly sound as‘cheapening her uniqueness for mass appeal’ and‘doing too much’.But if you listen closely, while thereare sonic differences, there areundeniable thematic connectionsbetween Chlöe and Chloe X Halle.‘Ungodly Hour’ (2020) and ‘TreatMe’ (2022): The Command forReciprocityWhile the former is a nocturnal groove and thelatter is braggadocious Pop&B, both songs statethe Terms & Conditions to get with them.Chloe described ‘Ungodly Hour’ as ‘owning [theirsexuality]’.The song is about an ‘electric’‘situationship’ where ‘someone isn’tready to fully commit or settle downwith you’. Instead of pleading fora partner unable (read: unwilling)to make things official, they rest in‘[their self-worth]’, only opening thedoor…When you decide you like yourself(Holler at me)When you decide you needsomeone (Call up on me)When you don’t have to think aboutitLove me at the ungodly hourHere ‘Ungodly Hour’ serves as a coy nod tonocturnal rendezvous calls- alluding to asexuality Chlöe would unabashedly unleash insolo offerings like ‘Treat Me’– and a heartfeltcommand for unconditional love, even on thedays when our imperfections reign supreme.This continues with ‘Treat Me’ as Chlöedeclares that anything less than ‘exceptional’ is‘unacceptable’.Here, she sees her self-love as the baseline for anypotential suitor.Treat me like I treat meYeah, you know I do it rightOh, I make me feel so niceTreat me like I treat meLove mecompletelynowOh, oh,treat meI treat meBoth‘UngodlyHour’ and‘Treat Me’ send apositive message tolisteners. Know whatyou deserve and refuse tosettle for anything less than.like I love meand deeply,‘Busy Boy’ (2020)and ‘Body Do’ (2023):Situationships and TheGuise of EmpowermentThe road to healing is neverlinear even for It-Girls likeChloe X Halle. Stars-they’rejust like us!oh,likeIn ‘Busy Boy’, the duo flips the misogynisticsaying ‘nice guys always finish last’ to ‘that’s whythe nice guys, they will always last, that’s why theplayboys always finish last’.The girls proceed to blast a twotimingguy [who] keeps ‘sending[them] too many pictures of [his]…’and has a ‘baby comin’ any day’. Butthey still ‘play with [him]’, ‘tell [him]what [he] wants to hear all the time’,‘just because [he’s] so damn fine’.Even though they know this guy isn’t worthseeing them at the ‘Ungodly Hour’, they settlefor a situationship that contradicts theiraforementioned Terms & Conditions.While the song is an inescapable groove, there isan underlying tone of sadness, as we know thesuperstars are settling for fleeting fulfilment.That’s why I don’t play with youI spend a little time, don’t stay withyouI tell you what you wanna hear allthe timeJust because you’re so damn fineBusy, busy boyBusy boy, busy, busy boy, aren’tyou?Like ‘Busy Boy’, ‘Body Do’sees Chlöe settling fora situationship over amisleadingly buoyantbeat. Tired of ‘all thefighting’ and aware he’suntrustworthy; she askshim to just do the ‘lyin’in [her]’.Once again, itis notable thatshe is aware ofher partnersdeal breakinglimitations anddisheartening she‘deserve[s] better’but keeps comingback for the feeling‘[she knows]’.You know Ican’t trust you(Ah)As far as I can throw you (Ah)But I’ma trust what that body do(Ah)‘Cool People’ (2018) and ‘InPieces’ (2023): An Ode to LovedOnesMisery can seem like your only option if there areno cool people in your world willing to pick youup when you’re in pieces. These two songs showhow a drop of kindness can make an ocean ofdifference.In ‘Cool People’, Chloe X Halleacknowledge that today’s youth arecoming-of-age in hostile territorywhere only endless precarity isguaranteed.This makes them feel ‘down on the regular’ butwhen they are together ‘the rain dries out’.This song illustrates how even whenwickedness seems omnipresent, itis important for us to remember that‘there’s still cool people in the world’.‘Cause darlin’, when you smile it’slike the rain dries outNow there’s no more room forcloudsGot me singing Hallelu, ah, Hallelu,ohWhen you hold my hand it justreminds me howThere’s still cool people in the world‘In Pieces’, the title track from Chlöe’s debut soloalbum takes what she first explored as a teenagerfurther.While promoting the project, she wascandid about how the ‘darkest times’had her questioning her life.Here she comes to her loved one(s) in the gloryof the ‘Ungodly Hour’, with a deep desire to be‘where [they] are’.The lyrics are poignant yet universal, creatingvivid imagery of the reciprocal relationship shecommanded in ‘Ungodly Hour’ and ‘Treat Me’.They need each other like ‘fire needs a spark’.‘Cause I don’t wanna go onOh, livin’ a life that you’ve beenmissin’And I don’t want nobody elseTo hold me when I’m in piecesWhatever the form, ‘Cool People’ and ‘In Pieces’spotlight the transformative power of communitylove.‘I’m just being who I am, unapologetically andcompletely, and if people think that’s doingtoo much, well then, I guess I am. I would bedoing a disservice to myself if I tried to be lessthan who I am and dim my light.’- Chlöe BaileyPhotos (top to bottom): Daniel Boczarki/GI and YouTubeSpace NYC