Chlöe: “Pray It Away”
Violence is a tempting option when you see an unfaithful ex carry on like they didn’t completely wreck you. This is the gist of Chlöe’s stripped-down new single “Pray It Away,” which follows a smattering of tracks from the past two years that seemed impressive, but sometimes too engineered, and the much-delayed announcement of her solo debut album In Pieces. Part her mentor Beyoncé, part Tamar Braxton, the song is an arresting showcase of her contralto. Over muted organ, Bailey seethes like a mother of four who’s just come home after a 14-hour shift to discover her husband sitting on the sofa playing video games: “Maybe I should go and take it to church/… But I’ma just pray it away before I give him what he deserves first.” Her youthful vernacular keeps things fresh though, and by the time a choir joins in on the bridge, you’ll be wishing her ex a speedy journey to the ER.