Nina Simone’s granddaughter defends Chloe Bailey’s racy “Feeling Good” performance

On Friday (June 18), Chloe Bailey performed her latest song “Feeling Good” onstage at the ABC special event “Juneteenth: Together We Triumph - A ’Soul of a Nation.”

“Feeling Good” is Bailey’s cover of the 1965 Nina Simone classic which shares the same title. It’s featured on ESPN The Undefeated’s Music For The Movement Vol. 3.

Bailey, who sang without her sister Halle, delivered a rousing performance in a dazzling sequined one-piece. Beyoncé’s protege, once again, is drawing a lot of attention online for her actions. Many users on Twitter seemed to be impressed by Bailey’s gyrating dance moves and her strong vocal performance. Others seemed to disapprove and criticized the 22-year-old for her routine.

One Twitter user commented, “Was not at all impressed with Chloe Bailey’s version of this great song by the great Nina Simone.” @RL197trini wrote, “Her performance was completely inappropriate. Why can’t singers [rely] on their singing ability and not going on the ground, tower and all that other mess during a song. Chloe is a very talented woman but that performance came across as very desperate for attention.”

Amidst the mixed reactions, Nina Simone’s granddaughter RéAnna Simone Kelly came to Bailey’s defense. “Everyone coming at @ChloeBailey for her performance of my grandmother Nina Simne’s song “Feeling Good,” she tweeted. 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.”

“Grandma was unapologetically herself. She was a muhhhfuckin badass woman who did what she wanted when she wanted,” Kelly continued. “She was a sexual woman and she expressed that. Educate yourselves !! If grandma could she probably would’ve done that performance herself.”

Chloe has yet to comment on the performance but this is not the first time the R&B songstress has caused a stir online. In January, Bailey wept on IG Live after receiving an onslaught of comments condemning her for being “too sexy” and “turning into a sexual object” on her Instagram.

“It’s really hard for me to think of myself as a sexual being or an attractive being quite frankly. So, when I see all the uproar about my posts and stuff, I’m a bit confused. Like I really don’t understand because I’ve never seen myself in that way,” she said at the time.

Check out some of the reactions to Chloe’s “Feeling Good” performance below: