Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey were only ten years old when they recorded and uploaded their first songs on YouTube. Hard to be more precious than that! And what followed may seem like a fairy-tale… Thanks to the video platform’s viral power, their bubbly revisiting of Beyoncé’s Pretty Hurts in 2013 caught the ear of its author in a snap. Even better: Beyoncé dubbed Chloe and Halle by signing them onto her music label, Parkwood Entertainment, and entrusting them with the opening act of her concerts. However, and that’s part of their strength and talent, Chloe and Halle never walk in the footsteps of their illustrious godmother. Writing, arranging and interpreting all their songs, the 19 and 18-year-old sisters are in complete control of their art. Their R&B is so diversified that it sounds like no other. And they never resort to the genre’s gimmicks: no botoxed rhythmic, no silly bland lyrics and no overly sweet melodies! Here, vocal harmonics are understated, the beats move forward quietly, the lyrics are those of seasoned wordsmiths, and features (with Joey Bada$$ among others) are few and far between but in good taste. These kids are truly alright. © Max Dembo/Qobuz