Church Girl Chloe releases another 2 minute single, “Pray It Away”

When I first heard “Pray It Away”, it was the explicit version, and I did not care for the opening. I’m no prude. But there was just something about the expletives in the intro that just took me out of the song. So I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the music video and heard it was the radio edit without the cussing. And I think the song is better for it. Some will like that Chloe opens the song the way in which she does. But I was so stuck on ‘Oh, that’s how she’s opening the song’ that I just couldn’t get past it. For a single, that was most certainly a choice. But I guess it was effective if “Pray It Away” is being treated as somewhat of a soft rebrand for Chloe. As “Pray It Away” feels very different from what we’ve gotten from Chloe prior. And it’s the song song of hers which I could also envision as a Chloe x Halle song.

Chloe.

Gurl.

What is it with her releasing these short shorts which end so prematurely!?

I know, I know. ‘It’s because streaming and TikTok’. But, this push for shorter songs is to the detriment of song quality A LOT of the time. I don’t think these types of pushes and limitations should be placed on the creation of a song. The focus should be to just create a good song, regardless of length. And if the label wants a short version, then create a radio edit of said song and release that AS WELL as the full length version of the song.

Maybe I’m old fashioned. But if a song is really good. And people like it, it will not matter if it’s 4 minutes long or 7 minutes long. People will play it, stream it, buy it. All the things. And if there is no radio edit, DJ’s will edit the bitch down.

I truly believe this pursuit of trying to make songs these little 2 and a half minute bytesized songs which are easy to make even shorter when they’re sped up for TikTok is really hampering the creative process when it comes to making songs. Especially for this younger generation of artists, who are having to play this limitation game. Because these older bitches sure ain’t playing it. Beyoncé said ‘Fuck your 2 minute songs’ for a whole album (with the exception of “Energy” which is really just a transitional song). I’m fine with a short song if it still feels complete and whole. But “Have Mercy”. “Treat Me” and “Pray It Away” are all short an extra verse / minute of music. And if Chloe’s album ends up being 11 tracks of 2 minute songs which all sound incomplete, then we gon’ have a problem.

HENNYWAY.

Back to “Pray It Away”. I really like this vibe for Chloe. It reminded me a hell of a lot of Brandy. But the song finishing outta nowhere ruins it for me. The whole thing builds and feels like we’re going to get this big bridge and truly get taken to church. I was ready to take off a shoe and church praise. But then the song just... fades?!

At one point I hoped that if Chloe’s earlier singles “Have Mercy” and “Treat Me” made the cut for the album, that we would get extended album mixes. But given how “Pray It Away” turned out, I can’t see it happening. That album runtime is gonna be 15 minutes at this rate.

Speaking of an album, Chloe’s debut LP finally is actually seeing the light of day. The album is titled In Pieces and will release in March. And “Pray It Away” already has a follow up single on the way which features Chris Brown.

*Sighs deeply*

The way folk in the industry stay supporting this man is crazy to me. And I know I shouldn’t project how I feel and MY morals onto others, especially those I don’t know. But, it’s hard. Then again, this is an industry which always seems to give piece of shit men second, third, fourth chances, and then an up-down-left-right-L-trigger-R-trigger-X-and-A together cheat code for infinite chances. That mess with Rihanna was BAD. And he’s regularly been some type of a piece of shit ever since. Every other month there’s some out of pocket thing he’s said or done.

I get that Chris Brown is still popular, that his music still charts well, and he is currently selling out shows. So Chloe working with him will mean that she had a better shot at a single which gains traction, which has been a huge issue for her singles. But, GURL. Of all the men in music you coulda picked!?

And whilst I can imagine that her replies are an absolute mess (something that she and her team can’t be surprised about), the Chris Brown team-up has people talking. And if that was the goal, good for those involved who felt this was the only way to go.