Chloe Bailey says she ‘bullied back’ trolls who attacked her makeup-free look
TheGrio...
The singer has spent years fielding comments about her body, sexuality and appearance. This time, she decided to give critics a taste of their own medicine.
Chloe Bailey has apparently decided that taking the high road is optional.
The 28-year-old singer and actress recently revealed how she responded after a cheerful TikTok from Saint Lucia drew nasty comments about her makeup-free appearance. Instead of ignoring the people calling her “ugly,” Bailey said she clicked on their profiles, took a closer look at their photos and returned the criticism.
Her strategy, as she described it, was simple: “bully back.”
@chloebaileywashere happiness!!!
Bailey said some of the commenters ultimately deleted their remarks after she responded, turning what could have been another round of online scrutiny into something she found considerably more satisfying.
The Shade Room also highlighted some of Bailey’s exchanges with critics as she defended herself in the comments.
The backlash came beneath an otherwise carefree video of Bailey enjoying Saint Lucia. But strangers picking apart her looks is hardly a new experience for the “Have Mercy” singer.
In fact, she has already faced several rounds of commentary about her appearance this year.
In January, theGrio reported that Bailey confronted a viewer during a livestream who told her she was “getting big.” Bailey told the commenter that she had actually been losing weight, but quickly made it clear that their assessment was beside the point.
“And even if I was getting big, and?” Bailey responded. “Why you talking about my body?”
The exchange was another example of something Bailey has dealt with throughout much of her adult career: strangers feeling entitled to discuss the size and shape of her body.
That conversation resurfaced in July when Bailey posted TikTok videos of herself dancing in a yellow swimsuit. This time, a fan commented on her apparent weight loss.
According to PEOPLE, Bailey explained that her weight naturally fluctuates and said she had been consistently working out since February. She added that she was pleased with her progress while still maintaining the curves she loves.
That same month, Bailey was also fielding comments about appearing without makeup, underscoring how quickly the conversation around her can shift from her body to her face and back again.
But scrutiny of Bailey has never been limited to her weight.
Since launching her solo career outside of Chloe x Halle, she has frequently been accused of being “too sexy,” with some critics suggesting that her more sensual performances and social media presence represented a dramatic departure from the image audiences first knew.
Bailey pushed back on that narrative during a July appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
“I’ve been in this skin all my life,” Bailey said while reflecting on the backlash, according to HelloBeautiful.
She explained that the reaction initially confused her because she did not view herself as suddenly becoming someone new. Still, Bailey acknowledged that the criticism affected her.
She has spoken about that impact before.
During a 2022 conversation on Taraji P. Henson’s “Peace of Mind with Taraji,” Bailey discussed how hurtful it was to see people accuse her of showing her body for male attention or trying to “sell sex.”
PEOPLE revisited those comments in June when Bailey opened up about her current relationship with her body and one of her lingering insecurities. Bailey said she wanted to tone her arms and had been working toward that fitness goal, but she also reflected on how much more comfortable she had become with herself.
Taken together, Bailey’s responses show just how contradictory the expectations surrounding her have been.
One moment, people are commenting that she has gained too much weight. Months later, they are remarking on how much she has lost. She has been criticized for showing too much of her body, while also receiving criticism when she appears online with a bare face.
For Bailey, those opinions once carried enough weight to make her question herself.
That does not appear to be where she is anymore.
Her Saint Lucia clapbacks may be one of her more unfiltered approaches to online criticism, but they fit with what Bailey has been saying throughout the year. Whether the subject is her weight, her sexuality or what her face looks like without makeup, she increasingly seems unwilling to let strangers define how she should look or feel about herself.
And apparently, if someone decides to get disrespectful in her comments, Bailey might have time to visit their page too.