Chloe Bailey praised for Juneteenth special performance of Nina Simone classic
Bailey performed "Feeling Good" on the ABC show
Chloe Bailey is heading from ingenue singer and actress to full-grown star in front of our eyes.
The ‘Do It” singer and half of the Chloe x Halle sister duo stepped on stage on Friday night for ABC’s Juneteenth special to perform a rendition of Nina Simone‘s 1965 hit “Feeling Good.”
Why we celebrate Juneteenth
Bailey, in a sheer sequined jumpsuit, threw down on the song vocally and with some slithery dance moves on the floor. She was paying homage to Simone for the special ABC‘s Juneteenth: Together We Triumph which aired on Friday, June 18, the day before the Juneteenth holiday.
Bailey’s performance was both praised and criticized as some said the risqué choreography cheapened the legend’s work.
What some people may not have considered is that the song “Feeling Good” is taken from a 1964 play The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd where a Black character triumphs over his white counterparts in a competition. It’s a moment of triumph for the character, called just ‘the Negro.’
Though “Feeling Good” has been covered by artists from George Michael to the Pussycat Dolls, Simone’s version is considered among the classic renditions of it.
However, Nina Simone’s granddaughter, RèAnna Simone Kelly, set the record straight on Twitter.
We guess that’s that on that. You can hear Chloe’s rendition of “Feeling Good” on the Liberated – Music for the Movement EP.
Watch Chloe’s performance below:
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