Chloe Flower is a visionary, a powerhouse, an icon in the making, an activist, a fashion influencer and so much more. Bridging the gap between classical and pop, her self-created Popsical genre sees sweet melodies, epic strings, and hip-hop beats collide with impressive aplomb. Born in Pennsylvania, Chloe first reached for piano keys at the age of two. By twelve, she was studying at the Manhattan School of Music and later at London's Royal Academy of Music. She is now an Official Steinway artist and sits on the board of directors for The Liberace Foundation.
Chloe has been working on her eponymous debut album, Chloe Flower, for over a decade. Living through the COVID-19 pandemic changed not only Chloe's life, but also the course of her music. The stay-home message was a clear signal to take ownership and to create an album which matters and speaks volumes.
Chloe Flower is broken down into three acts: Innocence, Suffering and Hope, Chloe's debut album is book-ended by a prelude and finale that redefine the meaning of classical crossover. Chloe's compositions are dramatic, fragile, spellbinding, beautiful and truthful. Inspired by Bach, who wrote 24 preludes, Chloe opens her album with ‘Prelude No. 1' – a reworking of the show-stopping composition she played at the 2019 Grammys alongside rap queen Cardi B. "I want to build on the Grammys moment which Cardi created for me," says Chloe. "She inspires me as a perfect example of women lifting up other women. I hope to be like that for other female artists and would love to create a book of preludes inspired by key moments in my life."
Each act is punctuated by spoken word from Deepak Chopra. "We became friends because of our love of music, and its remarkable ability to heal & nurture." explains Chloe.
Act I: Innocence - with the tracks ‘Flower Through Concrete', ‘Tamie' and ‘Rise Up' – has sweet melodies, simple production and a fresh innocent sound that opens the doors and lets the listener in. "Flower Through Concrete was the first track I wrote during quarantine," reflects Chloe."Important issues were surfacing and I could finally start to see change. I felt if you keep pushing, you can be like a flower, which can grow and bloom through even the toughest of conditions."
Rebirthed by a new way of working, ‘Tamie' was named after Chloe's friend, who was virtually by her side throughout the writing process. "She is so excited to have a song named after her, she cried," says Chloe."The video is a celebration of our Asian heritage and culture, and was shot at an authentic classical outdoor Chinese garden. As our communities are being targeted with anti-Asian rhetoric and violence, now is the time to celebrate Asian American pride, culture and the positive impact our community has had on the world."
Act II: Suffering introduces darker, heavier hip-hop, trap beats and production over haunting piano. "That's the music that I love," says Chloe. "People don't associate that sound, or the visual that comes with it, with a pianist but it's the most authentic to me."
‘Get What U Get', with production from Tommy Brown and Tone Jones, is pure fire. "They really get that Popsical vibe I'm going for," explains Chloe. "A lot of producers will have a classical idea and throw a drum beat under it. But the drum sound is equally as important as the other instruments; it has to move and change with the music. That's why I record piano first, then strings, and drums come in last and have to complement my composition."
For 10 years Chloe has worked with Babyface in his studio and the experience helped shape her. ‘Bohemia' began its first incarnation there before quarantine. "I wouldn't have been able to produce my own album if I hadn't had Kenny," she says. "He taught me everything. We respect each other. Act II has a bigger sound than any other act. With Bohemia, I wanted to create a sound like a movie score - to have variation; dips, changes and a coda."
Act III is called Hope - something the world is crying out for as the planet tries to emerge from the damage caused by the pandemic. "I want people to be inspired and feel a sense of healingwhen they hear Love Story,"says Chloe.
‘When I See You Again' is a stunning lyrical piano piece touches the heart. It's a spell-binding reminder of the raw importance of human contact. "I wanted to write something inspirational and hopeful," explains Chloe, who was moved to compose the track after a friend died of pancreatic cancer when he was too scared to visit a hospital due to the virus. "The melody is melancholy but also hopeful. One day, in this life or in some other way, we will meet our loved ones again."
Chloe's interpretation of Billie Eilish's ‘Bad Guy' alongside the Budapest Art Orchestra is nothing short of jaw-dropping. "I wanted to show people how the right arrangement of a pop song like this, which doesn't have the same range as a big vocal ballad, can bring new and different energy. Billie is such a talented artist. She is the symbol of hope for a new sound and way of producing- everything about her is unique and inspiring" explains Chloe.
The album ends with ‘Popsical', where sections of the tracks before it are seamlessly woven together into a stand-alone masterpiece. "It is a recapitulation of the whole album," says Chloe. "People talk about (Pachelbel) Canon and (Beethoven) Ode to Joy because they recognise the musical themes from shows, cartoons or movies. I wanted to hammer in those themes at the end so people can learn to be more receptive to new instrumental music."
Beyond her music career,Chloe is an ardent advocate who is outspoken against human trafficking, a supporter of music education and therapy, and an Artist Ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime.