Chlöe has released her sophomore album, Trouble in Paradise, via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records.
The 16-track set was preceded by the singles “FYS” and “Boy Bye.” It features collaborations with her sister Halle Bailey, Ty Dolla $ign, Anderson .Paak, Jeremih, and YG Marley.
Speaking on Trouble in Paradise, Chlöe explains, “This project is truly about writing away my troubles in paradise. The water and the brewing storm symbolize my emotions and how it changes like the weather. I wanted this project to feel fun, and even though there are ups and downs, it’s a fun, wild ride like a summer fling: unpredictable, exciting, and new.”
Recorded in St. Lucia, Trouble in Paradise takes a deeper dive into Chlöe’s world, where she doesn’t hold back on unpacking her personal life. The album begins with Chlöe dealing with a relationship that is on the rocks. On “Might As Well,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Chlöe contemplates matching her man’s unfaithful energy.
“I should’ve gone, both ways / we could text a new chick every day / What you on, yea I’m on, mmm / We had to plans to blow up all these blue faces / But on the weekend you were sneaking behind my back,” she sings.
Ty Dolla $ign appears in the second verse, singing from the perspective of her man, who believes their rocky relationship isn’t working out. “You might as well do you / Ye been going through it, this ain’t nothing new / We both tired of trying, we just end up fighting / Going back and forth,” he sings.
After chucking her deuces on the kiss-off anthem “Boy Bye,” Chlöe takes a moment to process the pain of lost love and her healing. Songs like “Rose,” a play on the pleasure device, hear Chlöe practicing self-love.
“Man f**k them flowers, get my rose / I can get there on my own / F**k them flowers, charge my rose / I be coming all alone,” she sings.
On “Want Me,” featuring Halle, the two sisters ask, “Why is it the ones we don’t want that want us?” This question raises a larger one about why we often attract those we’re not necessarily interested in instead of the ones we actually desire.
Chlöe doesn’t dwell completely on her shortcomings with love. Trouble in Paradise also brims with songs that move the body (“Shake”) and that can get a party started (“Strawberry Lemonade”).
The Anderson .Paak-assisted “Favorite” lives up to its name as one of the standout moments on the album. On the funked-out dance groove, Chlöe and .Paak are ready to make things official with their respective love interests. “I don’t wanna play favorites / You’re the one i want the most / You just want me to say it,” the sing in the radio-ready chorus.
Trouble in Paradise is the follow-up to Chlöe’s debut album, In Pieces, released March 31, 2023.
Stream Chlöe’s new album Trouble in Paradise below.
