Chloe Bailey has sparked a debate about racism in the music industry after saying that her sound is categorized as R&B because she is black.
From Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter to Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song,’ 2024 has been a turning point for Black artists thriving critically and commercially in genres that have historically tried to box Black artists eliminated despite having an extensive record of Black innovators.
The music industry has been grappling with genre disputes for a considerable period, a complex issue that Chlöe Bailey’s recent comments have brought to the forefront once again.
Chlöe Bailey is speaking out about her music and why her songs are still classified as R&B despite moving into other genres.
Chloe Bailey debuted as half of the duo Chloe x Hailey in 2016. She achieved significant success with her sister before going solo in 2021. Her debut album was praised by both fans and critics for its musical ambition and eclectic mix of sounds.
Bailey revealed in a new interview that no matter what genre of music she creates, her songs will always be classified as R&B rather than pop.
“Any music I do will easily and quickly be categorized as R&B because I’m a Black woman,” Bailey began in an interview with Nylon.
The 25-year-old lamented how Black artists are pigeonholed into genres while White singers are classified as mainstream pop stars.
Chloe claimed that if a White person does the same music she is doing, it would be in the pop category.
She added, “If someone who didn’t have my skin tone made the same music, it would be in the pop categories. That’s just the way it’s always been in life.”
Chloe went on to say that music has no race, genre, or anything like that.
“It’s just a feeling, a vibration.”
