Chloe Bailey’s announcement of her new single, in collaboration with Chris Brown, has left fans furious.
On Thursday (16 February), the singer shared a pre-save link to her song “How Does It Feel”.
The song’s cover art showed her and Brown standing forehead to forehead with his hands on her waist.
Within hours, the Grammy-nominated singer began trending on Twitter as her post racked up millions of views and thousands of angry comments condemning her for partnering with Brown.
In 2009, Brown became a figure of controversy after he physically assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna, for which he was charged with felony assault. He later pled guilty to the felony and received five years of probation, community service hours and domestic violence counselling.
“We’re failing Black women in music if they feel like they have to collaborate with a known abuser in order to chart,” journalist Earnest Owens responded.
“It’s 2023 and women still collaborating with Chris Brown,” a second person commented. “I was expecting better from you,” a third wrote.
One said that while “it’s never surprising”, it’s “still upsetting every time a new R&B girl collabs” with Brown.
“I’m so sick of y’all for real because is there nobody else to make music with??” asked someone else.
“Numbers can’t matter that much,” another person said.
The Independent has contacted Bailey’s representative for comment.
“How Does It Feel” marks Bailey’s second single off of her forthcoming debut solo album.
Bailey is the sister of Halle Bailey, who will star as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
