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.”

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.

Chloe Bailey attends the 51st NAACP Image Awards on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

Bailey’s performance was both praised and criticized as some said the risqué choreography cheapened the legend’s work.

Nina Simone in heaven watching Chloe Bailey do the damn thing tonight 🙏🏽🙏🏽😩💅🏽 pic.twitter.com/r6Ck2BhHwX

— 𝙏𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 🌸🕊🦢 (@TaraAng1111) June 19, 2021

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.

I don’t think some ppl aren’t fond of Chloe Bailey’s performance because they feel the routine didn’t match the theme I mean was did Nina Simone make sexy music? Y’all are always trying make ppl seem like haters lol

— Draped in all Designer (@DTXprincess) June 19, 2021

Chloe Bailey does way too fucking much for me… she tries way to hard to stand out from her sister by being overly sexy like??

— THE BAD GUY (@thebadguy567) June 19, 2021

Chloe Bailey really is the closest thing we’ve seen to Beyoncé and I just can’t wait until she really comes into full form

— india. (@IndiaDionna) June 19, 2021

the only reason some of you think chloe bailey is “doing too much” is because y’all are used to these other girls half-assing their way through a setlist. and that’s the real tea. pic.twitter.com/BnKL5idJQO

— 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒘𝒏 (@rinascherry) June 19, 2021

However, Nina Simone’s granddaughter, RèAnna Simone Kelly, set the record straight on Twitter.

Everyone’s coming at @ChloeBailey for her performance of my grandmother Nina Simone’s song “Feeling Good”. But what y’all don’t understand is that grandma was a free spirited woman herself!! She would’ve loved that performance as much as I do! Relax. Chloe killed it. #NinaSimone

— RéAnna Simone Kelly (@reasiimone) June 19, 2021

@ChloeBailey you did your THANG girl!! Period !!

Also, watch “What Happened Miss Simone” on Netflix if you want to learn more about grandma 🙂

Happy Juneteenth y’all!#ChloeBailey #NinaSimone

— RéAnna Simone Kelly (@reasiimone) June 19, 2021

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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The post Chloe Bailey praised for Juneteenth special performance of Nina Simone classic appeared first on TheGrio.