Halle Bailey to release her debut solo single ‘Angel’ this week
Halle Bailey has announced that she will be releasing her debut solo single ‘Angel’ this week – her first release without her sister, Chloe.
Bailey and Chloe used to release music as Chloe x Halle. As a duo, they were signed to Beyoncé‘s Parkwood Entertainment label in 2013. They went on to release two albums – 2016’s ‘The Kids Are Alright’ and their second album ‘Ungodly Hour’. The latter was critically-acclaimed and nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
Since 2021, the two have embarked on solo careers – with Halle Bailey starring as Princess Ariel in the live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid earlier this year.
‘Angel’ will be the first song Halle has put out since the release of ‘Ungodly Hour’ in 2020. She released a teaser this week, showing a collection of childhood videos, baby photos and recent performance footage. In the end, a potential lyric from ‘Angel’ is written on the screen: “Angels make a way somehow.”
‘Angel’ will be out on August 4 via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia.
This year, Halle’s sister Chloe released her debut solo album, ‘In Pieces’. It featured her viral tracks such as ‘No Mercy’ and ‘Treat Me’ as well as a controversial collaboration with Chris Brown called ‘How Does It Feel’. In a three-star review of the album, NME said ‘How Does It Feel’ “simply treads water with a limp beat and smooth, straightforward harmonies.”
Defending her decision to work with Brown, Chloe told The Big Tigger Morning Show in April: “I always just wanna let the music speak for itself. And to be honest, no matter what I do people always find things to say about it, so I’m used to it.
“I just choose to ignore it. People have every right to their opinions, freedom of speech, and it’s up to me to choose what I give my attention and energy to.”
The live-action remake of Disney’s Little Mermaid has currently grossed over $560million (£438million) at the box office. This was Hakke’s first lead role in a Hollywood blockbuster. For the film’s soundtrack, Bailey sang a rendition of the Little Mermaid classic ‘Part of Your World’ as well as the new track ‘For the First Time’.
Halle Bailey’s casting as Ariel was met with much backlash. Some criticised the lack of likeness between Bailey and the original animation, which led to a social media campaign called #NotMyAriel as people tried to get force Bailey out of her role.
The multihyphenate responded to the backlash, saying: “I just feel like this role is something bigger than me, and greater. And it’s going to be beautiful.”
Whilst praising Bailey’s role in the film, fellow singer Paloma Faith aired her reservations with the narrative of The Little Mermaid. On an Instagram story, she said, “Just seen the new Little Mermaid with my kids and while I think Halle gives a good performance and it’s great casting as a mother of girls, I don’t want my kids to think it’s ok to give up your entire voice and your powers to love man.”
Later this year, Halle Bailey will star in another musical, Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple, which is scheduled to hit US theatres on Christmas Day.
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