By Quedus Babalola
Staff Writer
Before landing spots on the ABC sitcom “Grown-ish,” some people knew Chloe x Halle from their YouTube channel. The R&B singers used their channel to create and maintain their fan base, covering songs by Beyoncé, John Legend, Cardi B and more. Beyoncé later signed the sisters to her label, Parkwood Entertainment.
They released a mixtape and extended play (EP) while recording for their YouTube channel, but on March 23, they took a bigger step and released their debut album. The sisters recorded the theme song for “Grown-ish” which can be found on the album. They wrote and produced each track, only featuring three other artists: Goldlink, Kari Faux and Joey Bada$$.
The first track of the 18-song album is “Hello Friend.” This track highlights the difference between each sister’s vocals and provides a blueprint to how the album will sound. The following track is the title track. On it, the sisters remind listeners that they may occasionally be rude and annoying, but they can just as easily switch it up and use their intellect to put someone in their place. The song speaks to let listeners know that they can be aware of societal issues and still have fun in life.
“Grown,” the theme song for “Grown-ish,” follows. They use this song to remind us that they are young adults ready to take on the world. “My friend Alyssa was watching “Grown-ish” one night, and I heard the theme song and was instantly drawn in,” Tosin Akinyemi, a freshman biology major, said. “I felt a huge rush of fresh air when I listened to the song on my own time. They are very talented and extremely relatable.”
One of the songs with a featured artist is “Fake,” with Kari Faux.The three girls attack all the people that were once nice to them only to betray them later on. While rapping in the song, Faux questions why people thought she would change who she is to live a deceptive lifestyle, while the sisters question why people put smiles on their faces knowing those people don’t like them. “This song is extremely relatable, especially on this campus, [It seems like] everyone acts like they like you but talks down on you when you’re not present,” Awujola Oke, a senior health major, said.
Overall the album has a great sound, the girls have grown to produce something more than sloppy pop beats. It’s definitely a coming of age album; Chloe and Halle are 17 and 16 respectively and have an authentic R&B sound. They were able to remain themselves on the album while discussing issues that not only matter to them but to many others in their generation. This album can be streamed on all streaming services and bought in stores or on iTunes and Google Play.
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