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Chloe Bailey's first solo TV performance for ABC's Juneteenth: Together We Triumph — A Soul of a Nation Special Event on June 18 did not disappoint. Performing a remix of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good," Bailey's sultry cover completely blew us away as she dazzled in a sparkly catsuit. Fans were divided over whether Bailey truly honoured the legendary singer as she gave the song her own spin, including a few sexy Fosse-inspired moves.
Simone's granddaughter, RéAnna Simone Kelly, came to Bailey's defence in a series of tweets on Friday. "What y'all don't understand [3] is that grandma was a free spirited woman herself!! She would've loved that performance as much as I do! Relax. Chloe killed it," Kelly tweeted during the performance. "She was a sexual woman [4] and she expressed that. Educate yourselves!! If grandma could she probably would've done that performance herself. @ChloeBailey you did your THANG girl [5]!! Period!!"
Hosted by Leslie Odom Jr. [6], the two-hour-long special also featured musical tributes from Jimmie Allen and Leon Bridges along with interviews from H.E.R. [7] and Barack Obama. Bailey's version of "Feeling Good" can also be found on Music for the Movement Volume III – Liberated [8], which is the third of Disney's four-part series of EPs honouring Black lives [9]. You can watch Bailey's performance in the full video above.