Chloe Bailey attributes her mentor as someone — along with singer Jill Scott — who allowed her to “embrace” her body and love it for what it was, with a special space for her derriere.
The 23-year-old told Allure: The first woman I saw embrace her body was Beyoncé. Hearing her sing ‘Bootylicious’ or seeing her perform on the BET [awards] made me feel calm about my body. Also Jill Scott.
She showed me another beautiful, full-figured, thick, sexy, curvaceous [woman]. And I was like, that is sexy. I’ve always had thick thighs and a butt. But I was growing up at a time when, if someone on television told you that you had a big butt, they meant it as an insult. So I was a little ashamed of my curves. I tried to hide them. It took a very, very long time. Now my favorite thing about [my body] is my butt.”
The “Have Mercy” hitmaker — who makes music alongside her sister Halle with whom she performs as Chloe x Halle — says this helps foster a “fearless” aspect to her on-stage persona.
She said: “I feel sexy. I feel strong.”
The songstress often says that sometimes — like when it comes to dating — how she her public persona as “really sensual girl” is often not not what potential suitor get, despite their expectations.
Bailey said: “I’m getting into that world and learning the ways of men right now. I present myself in my music videos as this really sensual girl, but when it comes to love and relationships, that’s not how I am. But that’s what guys think of me sometimes.”
However, Bailey knows that feeling confident all the time is not reasonable as we all have “ebbs and flows” and pretend otherwise is not right.
Bailey — who is getting ready to debut her solo album Chloe said: “We’re not all supposed to be perfect, like bad b—- and confident all the time. We have different layers, ebbs and flows to our lives. It would be completely unfair for me to portray myself to the world like I have no problems. Because I do.”
