Chloe Bailey has addressed the criticism she has received over her embracing her sexuality.
The 23-year-old singer, half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, received criticism last year by fans who claimed her image had become hyper-sexualised.
During a recent interview for In the Know by Yahoo, she was asked what it is like to face expectations around sexuality "in a sexually repressed society".
"There has never been a point in time that a society has ever been comfortable with the woman being powerful in the skin that she's in," the Grammy Award-nominee stated. "So, I just have to give kudos to every woman whos inspired me, every one of my peers right now whos saying, 'I love my body. I feel sexy.'"
Bailey likened her experience to that of Donna Summer, Kelis, Beyoncè, and Nina Simone.
"No matter what women do, no matter how talented we are, no matter how screwed on our head is, someone will always have a problem because we choose to celebrate our body and the skin that we're in...but you shouldn't dim your light, period," she continued.
The Have Mercy star also related embracing her sexuality to her admiration for the Formation hitmaker, who has served as a mentor for her.
"I can honestly and genuinely say it was Beyoncé who made me look at my body and say maybe it is O.K. to have my body. Maybe it is O.K. to have a plump butt. Maybe it is O.K. to have to shake and jump to fit in my jeans," Chlo¨e mused. "During the Bootylicious era, I would go and see her flaunting her curves and be like, 'She looks damn good!'"
