Youngest In Charge: 5 Times Halle Bailey Nearly Broke The Internet Before Turning 25

Halle Bailey has been famous for nearly a decade, but in recent years, she’s possibly become one of the most talked-about names in R&B and pop culture period.

Many, if not all, of us were introduced to the songstress by way of Chloe x Halle, who gained early attention with YouTube covers before eventually signing to Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment. Though both are now solo, with a third group album possibly underway, they’ve each confidently stepped into their own spotlight. In fact, Halle has starred in quite a few major films, most notably The Little Mermaid, walked red carpets, and welcomed her first child, all before turning 25 at that.

In celebration of the “Back and Forth” artist’s 25th birthday, Rap-Up looked back at five moments when she had the internet in a chokehold. Take a look below.

1. The Surprise Baby Reveal

After several long months of sidestepping pregnancy rumors, Halle finally confirmed what the internet had been speculating: Yes, she and DDG had a baby. In early 2024, she introduced the world to her son, Halo, with an Instagram post showing his tiny hand adorned with a gold bracelet engraved with his name.

“Even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me was bring me my son,” she penned. Not only was keeping something like that under wraps incredibly difficult given their star power, but the couple also managed to keep his face off social media for a while, too.

2. ‘The Little Mermaid’

When Disney announced in 2019 that Halle would star as Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, the internet reacted in every single way possible. First came the celebration, then the “racist backlash” — something the songstress gracefully addressed later down the line — and eventually, the tears once the first trailer dropped a few years later.

For millions of young Black girls, seeing someone who looked like them as a Disney princess was revolutionary, to say the least. The numbers also back that up: $95 million on opening weekend in the U.S. and $570 million grossed worldwide to date.

“I was still getting used to being in a bigger limelight, learning how to keep my head up and ignore any negative things people were saying about me as part of a racist backlash,” Halle told Cosmopolitan. “It’s been a beautiful learning experience for me, learning how to block out all of that noise.”

3. Her Debut Solo Single, “Angel”

Just a little under two years after Chlöe stepped into her solo era with “Have Mercy,” Halle followed suit with “Angel.” Described by the latter as “a mantra and promise to myself that the work I’m doing here on earth matters” for brown and Black girls, the track made two things clear: Both sisters can hold their own, and Halle deserves every bit of the spotlight in R&B. The visual treatment and a handful of viral duets only reinforced that.

4. Linking Up With Halle Berry

The Halle-Halle crossover the internet didn’t know it needed. In 2024, Halle Berry and Halle Bailey were spotted at the LA Galaxy vs. Inter Miami season opener, where they took a few photos that inevitably broke the timeline. “When two Halles link up,” the Monster’s Ball actress fittingly captioned the photo.

“I was living for this moment! Thank you for being so kind to me,” Bailey responded. “You’ve made my life." It definitely wasn’t the first time the two have crossed paths — and probably won’t be the last — but their shared name has always been a running joke, one they clearly had no problem playing into.

Later that Halloween, the “Because I Love You” singer paid homage to Berry by recreating her iconic Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson look from Die Another Day.

5. Chloe x Halle’s “Do It”

Before their solo careers took off, Chloe x Halle set the bar really high with 2020’s Ungodly Hour. The 13-track effort housed “Forgive Me,” “Busy Boy,” and arguably the best of them all, “Do It,” the duo’s first Hot 100 entry.

Several months later, they doubled back with the Doja Cat, City Girls, and Latto-assisted remix. It was a little chaotic, unapologetically feminine, and all the proof we needed that Halle could hold her own alongside some of female rap’s biggest names.