Chlöe & Chris Brown, How Does It Feel | Track Review 🎵

Chlöe, assisted by controversial singer, Chris Brown, drops “How Does It Feel,” the enjoyable second single from her debut album, In Pieces.

“Igave you more than you wanted / I gave you more than you needed / So tell me, how does it feel / To lose the one you believe in?” Oh, snap 🫰, 🎙 Chlöe (Chloe Bailey)! After unveiling arguably her best single to date, 🎵 “Pray It Away”, the R&B artist announced her debut album, 💿 In Pieces (arrives March 31, 2023).  Bailey follows up with the album’s second single, 🎵 “How Does It Feel”, where she collaborates with controversial 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B artist, 🎙 Chris Brown.  Do Bailey and Brown make sweet music together? “How Does It Feel” is enjoyable. However,  you cannot deny or dismiss the backlash, given Brown’s reputation.

Soul fuels “How Does It Feel” musically.  Much like the 🎙 Usher gem, 🎵 “Throwback” did on 💿 Confessions in 2004, “How Does It Feel” reintroduces the 🎙 Dionne Warwick classic, 🎵 “You’re Gonna Need Me” to a new generation.  That’s because producers 🎛 Cardiak and Hitmaka sample it.  It’s a fitting backdrop, particularly considering the fact that a tumultuous love union is involved (“You’re gonna want me back in your arms” plays in the background). Chris Brown performs the first verse, following the chorus – excerpted above – performed by Chlöe.  He asserts, in great voice, “So many feelings involved, the way you do me / Tell me, you ready or not? This ain’t The Fugees.” Woo! In the second verse, Chlöe, who also sings lovely, provides more context to the rift between them, telling Chris, “See that’s thing about trust / It’s never been about us” and “Gave you the key to my heart beat / You didn’t say it but you said it / It shouldn’t have hurt me, but I let it.” Clearly, the feelings are bad for both parties, as the ugly side of love has reared its head.

Final Thoughts 💭 

Is the relationship over? It appears to be.  The good news is, 🎵 “How Does It Feel” is a vibe.  Following 🎵 “Pray It Away”, it shows the potential and promise of the forthcoming 💿 In Pieces. It isn’t game changing, mind you, but, all told, this is a successful, albeit it controversial and sus collaboration.  It is Chris Brown’s presence, given his actions, that hurts this otherwise strong record.

🎙 Chlöe • 💿 In Pieces • 🏷 Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia • 🗓 3.31.23

[📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia; OpenClipart-Vectors, PIRO via Pixabay]