On October 15, 2020, Vanderbilt Programming Board’s Music Group announced a series of virtual concerts they would be holding called VIBES, to help bring music to Vanderbilt with the COVID-19 pandemic raging on. The first performers announced to perform on October 21st were the dynamic sister duo, Chloe x Halle. The duo is compromised of Atlanta natives, Chloe Bailey, 22, and Halle Bailey, 20, who began their career on YouTube covering other artists. They were then signed to Beyoncé’s management company, Parkwood Entertainment, in 2015 after their cover of her “Pretty Hurts” went viral. Since then, the sister duo has been taking the music industry by storm, releasing multiple EPs and two studio albums as of 2020. They were even nominated for two awards, Best New Artist and Best Urban Contemporary Album, at the 61st GRAMMY Awards (hopefully with more to come this year for Ungodly Hour).
The performance began with an easygoing rendition of single “Forgive Me,” as the sisters used a background instrumental to approximate a fully-produced concert experience. Over the course of the 45-minute set, the girls went on to perform a plethora of songs from all stages of their repertoire including highlights like “Happy Without Me,” “Tipsy,” “Down,” and “Busy Boy.” Arguably the best bit of the night was their performance of their hit single, “Do It”, accompanied by Halle on acoustic guitar. They effectively transformed the dance-pop/R&B track into a relaxed and soulful—yet lively—performance, and all from the comfort of their own home.
While the performance was pre-recorded, the sisters still managed to appear interactive throughout the performance, stopping multiple times to ask questions in an attempt to engage with the Vandy student body. They even encouraged all those watching to go out and vote before diving into the title track of their debut album, “The Kids Are Alright,” to emphasize how important it is that all young people out there use their voice. The performance was both extremely topical, as Election Day nears, and just plain enjoyable as a result of their immaculate vocals. To wrap up their stellar performance, the duo threw things back with “Cool People” from their debut album. It was, unsurprisingly, a perfect heavenly performance, leaving everyone watching excited for what is to come—both for the sisters and in the world.
Overall, their performance was not only enjoyable but also a reminder of the immense talent that the duo holds. It was a great debut for the VIBES series and sets an excitingly high bar for acts to come. While this particular live performance may no longer be available to watch, these girls have consistently been serving immaculate performances, especially throughout quarantine, after the release of their sophomore album, Ungodly Hour. As a parting gift, enjoy one of the many performances from the duo’s famous tennis court singing Ungodly highlight “Tipsy.”