As Chloe Bailey gears up to release her debut solo album, she’s taking a moment to acknowledge all the backlash she’s received for embracing her sexuality in the public eye.
Her Initial Self-Doubts Came From Venturing Out On Her Own
The “In Pieces” singer dished on the matter during a new interview with PEOPLE, and she started by looking back at when she dropped her debut solo single, “Have Mercy,” back in September 2021.
Regarding this experience of branching off from Chloe x Halle, Chloe shared that both she and Halle Bailey “didn’t really know who [they] were individually without the other.”
As a result, she faced “a moment of self-doubt” about whether she could make it on her own.
“We both didn’t really know who we were individually without the other, and that’s what was really scary for me. It was a moment of self-doubt where I was like, ‘Can I do this without my sister?'”
In spite of her doubts, Chloe had the opportunity to perform “Have Mercy” at the 2021 MTV VMAs, where she infamously licked her mic, as The Shade Room previously reported.
This display garnered some backlash regarding Chloe being “too sexy” with her performances. Other instances like her sharing a video of her licking a lollipop added further fuel to the fire as well.
RELATED: ‘Not Even 5 Minutes In’: Social Media Reacts To Chloe Bailey And Damson Idris’ Steamy ‘Swarm’ Scene
While she played it off and kept on confidently doing her thang, Chloe opened up about some of the behind-the-scenes hardships the experience put her through.
Chloe Bailey Says She ‘Never Understood’ Why She’d Be ‘Ridiculed To The Max’
Regarding the impact of the criticism, Chloe shared, “Deep inside, it was killing me, to be honest.”
She also expressed confusion at why she was “ridiculed to the max” while some of her peers were let off scot-free.
“I never understood it. I’d look at my peers and be like, ‘We’re all the same age. They’re showing as much as me, if not more. But if I do it, I’m ridiculed to the max.”
The 24-year-old songstress went on to note that, in an attempt to block out the haters, she took a brief break from Twitter, as she was “starting to believe the lies that the trolls were saying.”
“As much as I would see it and try to act like it didn’t affect or bother me, it would. I was starting to believe the lies that the trolls were saying online, and I started to look down on myself even more than what I already was doing with my own insecurities. Once I ignored it, I’ve been good.”
Now, as Chloe reflects on the matter, she says that she’s confident in herself and knows that the stage is where she can “flourish.”
What do you think about Chloe Bailey’s commentary, as well as the criticism she faced for being “too sexy”?
