Chloe x Halle Grace The Cover Of ESSENCE Magazine

Chloe x Halle are the latest cover stars for ESSENCE Magazine.

Source: Eric Johnson @upstairsaterics / Essence

While they’ve been pursuing separate career endeavors in recent years, Chloe and Halle Bailey came together to cover the September/October 2022 cover of ESSENCE. Gracing one cover together and each getting their own separate shots, the sisters talked to the magazine about building confidence, body image, romantic relationships, and more.

“As much as people think I’m so confident, 80 percent of the time I feel the complete opposite of that,” Chloe told the mag. “That’s why I put so much of myself into my music. That’s where I feel like myself and where I belong in this life—whenever I’m onstage. The girl I see and I watch sing back, she intimidates me. I’m like, Who the hell is that?”

She echoed a similar sentiment when talking about her personal style, saying: “It’s really about making a statement and showing people who I am through my clothes, through my armor. Fashion isn’t all about being expensive and wearing brand names. It’s about feeling put together and looking like how you want to feel and how you want people to perceive you.”

Source: Eric Johnson @upstairsaterics / Essence

Plus, she shared some information about her upcoming album, addressing the fact that a lot of people have been underestimating her for years.

“It’s everything that I’ve been going through, all the tearing down, people underestimating, telling me I can’t do it—all of those things have gone into the music. The album is me picking myself up and talking myself out of any little place or space that the world has tried to put me in, that people and personal relationships have tried to put me in, and even [doing that to] myself. It’s me breaking free.”

As for Halle, she opened up about her relationship with Youtuber-turned-rapper DDG, admitting she’s in love.

 “Yes. For sure I am,” she said when asked if she’s in love. “I’ve been a fan of his for years. I grew up being on YouTube and would always see the young Black creators and was constantly inspired by them. He was one of them. I completely forgot about him. But then I saw that he was dropping music, and I really gravitated toward this one song. Coincidentally he messaged me—and the rest is history.

Source: Eric Johnson @upstairsaterics / Essence

She also talked about her personality, noting just how strongly she sticks beside anyone and everyone she loves.

“If you’ve got a problem with so-and-so, then we’ve got a problem. I’m a fire sign. I’m a protector of my family. If I love you and somebody crosses you, it’s over. That’s been my stance since I was young.”

The Chloe x Halle issue of ESSENCE will hit newsstands on September 6, 2022.