From joint musical projects with her sister, Chloe Bailey, to playing Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” (2023), Halle Bailey is no stranger to the spotlight. And, on Oct. 24, Bailey entered a new arena with the release of her first solo album, “love? ...or something like it.” With an open heart — and mind — Bailey weaves a story from the first track to the last, creating a well-rounded project that traces her journey of finding love. She marvels and matures, pines and ponders, but most importantly, on “love? …or something like it,” Bailey is purely — and unapologetically — herself.
The album starts with the aptly titled track, “intro,” which lays out the project’s purpose: describing love’s ups and downs while peeling away Bailey’s innocent image to reveal a mature, well-rounded woman. More an interlude than a song, this track reflects Bailey’s uneasy mindset. “All she ever wanted in life was to find the truest form of love / Was that ever possible?” she questions. This track introduces a hopelessly romantic character who dreams about her own happy ever after. With a string instrumental and the opening line, “Once upon a time,” this track immerses the listener in a fairytale, reinforcing the album's upbeat tone. Bailey closes the song by telling the listener, “And here's what happened,” setting up the album’s storyline and marking it as a layered yet cohesive project.
On the second track, “overtime,” Bailey sorts through love’s difficulties. The backing strings mix with Bailey’s voice to create an intense, passionate track. Bailey sings, “Like a snake shedding her skin / She was way too innocent,” signifying her rebirth into a newfound fierce identity. Throughout the track, Bailey expresses her own thoughts and emotions through the song’s protagonist, maintaining a distinction between the character in the song and herself. Both “intro” and “overtime” detail Bailey’s trials and tribulations in love: She falls for someone, experiences heartbreak and eventually moves on. Reclaiming her confidence, Bailey sings, “For what you put her through now, ah / She'll never be you (No).”
The third track, “know about me (feat. GloRilla),” showcases Bailey working through her anger and sadness, letting go of past resentment. “Let all the sunshine in a bundle then it rains / I love to mix all of the pleasure with the pain, oh, yeah,” Bailey sings, hyperaware of her people-pleasing tendencies. The singer expresses her anger about being manipulated, using this song to armor herself against pain. In “know about me,” Bailey transforms her resentment into a vessel for growth, and we see Bailey at her most resilient. GloRilla’s feature bolsters Bailey’s confidence; after her verse, the song’s theme shifts from heartbreak to renewal. “What you know about me? / You don't know,” Bailey sings.
Throughout “love? ...or something like it,” Bailey grapples with anger, betrayal, sadness and loneliness. But, on “angel” (2023), we discover a new Bailey as a person who is candid yet resolutely confident. Bailey leans into complex topics, discussing her experience growing up as a Black girl and how conforming to societal expectations caused her confidence to falter. Bailey asks the listeners, “Do you ever make it out of your head? / Do you still swim in your thoughts?” offering companionship and connection through shared insecurities. The backing vocals create a choral effect, amplifying the theme of community and reflecting the song’s angelic imagery. In “angel,” Bailey shows how Black women can overcome the limits society imposes on them.
On “love? ...or something like it,” Bailey steps into a new light and looks toward her future with a grin — all while dissecting love’s complexities. With a magical, dreamlike feeling to her debut, Bailey presents herself as a solo artist worth waiting for.
