Chlöe, Pray It Away | Track Review

Angry, pissed off Chlöe is incredibly effective and ultra-compelling on her short but potent R&B single, “Pray It Away.”

“Fuck nigga, fuck nigga, fuck nigga / I just learned to hate from a fuck nigga.” Wow! Safe to say, Chlöe is not happy with this man.  On her 2023 single, “Pray It Away”, the R&B singer goes on to assert, “My feelings, my feelings, my feelings / They really got hurt by a fuck nigga.” What a way with words, Chlöe!  While eloquence and finesse is not a trait of the songwriting on “Pray It Away,” brutal honesty is, and she truly excels.  As always, the vocals are strong, carrying ample emotion in the case of this lame-o that wasted her time.

Produced by Chlöe alongside a team including , ThankGod4Cody, Ecassshh, Pitt Tha Kid, Puredandy, “Pray It Away” is slickly executed – idiomatic of the 2020s R&B/hip-hop script.  Similarly, the use of street lyricism – the vernacular – is idiomatic of the times as well.  In the pre-chorus, Chlöe expresses even more anger, potentially mentioning violence towards him (“And if the option’s violence, don’t make me choose it”). However, in the chorus, she makes a wiser choice, even if it is less satisfying: “Maybe I should go and take it to church / And wash it away ‘cause I want that nigga to hurt / But I’ma just pray it away before I give him what he deserves first.” The spiritual ties are one of the biggest selling points, with even more explicit references made in the bridge – girlfriend gets down on her knees!

Final Thoughts

All in all, “Pray It Away” is enjoyable and well-rounded.  Short and sweet despite being explicit – f-bombs and n-words galore – Chlöe makes her point loud and clear.  This should be relatable to many women as well as men too.  By my estimations, one of Ms. Bailey’s more captivating musical offerings.

Chlöe • “Pray It Away” • Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia • 1.27.23

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