Since her solo debut, 2021’s “Have Mercy,” Chlöe Bailey has continuously pushed the limits of her artistry. However, the musician feels like she’s constantly been pigeonholed as an R&B singer due to her race.

In a cover story with NYLON published on Friday (June 21), Bailey opened up about her challenges and, more specifically, why she doesn’t stick to one genre for the sake of being easily labeled. “Any music I do will easily and quickly be categorized as R&B because I’m a Black woman,” the In Piece s creator explained. “If someone who didn’t have my skin tone made the same music, it would be in the pop categories. That’s just the way it’s always been in life,” she added.

Later in the interview, Bailey likened herself to Whitney Houston and Beyoncé, who both faced similar dilemmas. “Early on in her career, when she was doing the big pop records, she got a lot of flak for that: being told she wasn’t Black enough and wasn’t catering to the base that made her,” Bailey said regarding the late singer.

She continued, “To see how she persevered and has become one of the most iconic, legendary artists that we’ve ever seen shows that music has no race. It has no genre. It has none of that. It’s just a feeling, and it’s a vibration.” The Atlanta native also discussed Bey’s COWBOY CARTER, which she was “really proud of.”

Bailey’s sentiment is far from uncommon. In May, SZA claimed, “The only reason I’m defined as an R&B artist is because I’m Black.” In response to Dazed asking how she defines her sound, the songstress mused, “It’s almost a little reductive because it doesn’t allow space to be anything else or try anything else.”

On a more positive note, Bailey confirmed that her sophomore album, Trouble in Paradise, will be released later in the year. To date, she’s heightened anticipation with singles like “FYS” and “Boy Bye.”