Chloe Jean - Fairy Tale Fail (2023)

FAIRY TALE FAIL combines five originals drawn from Chloé’s personal life along with covers of Julie London’s “Cry Me a River,” Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” the Irving Berlin standard, “Blue Skies,” and a Latin-tinged version of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy.” The main tracks were recorded over two days at Opus Recording in Berkeley, California. Instrumental overdubs, editing and final mixes were completed by Obiedo at his Werewolf Studios in Oakland, California. Chloé’s composition “Crazy” was recorded in front of a live audience at Oakland’s 25th Street Recording. Also recorded and filmed at that session were live versions of the title track “Fairy Tale Fail” and Lizzo‘s “About Damn Time.” A video of Chloé performing Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” was filmed at Bridgeway Studios (where decades earlier, Fleetwood Mac recorded their classic album, Rumours). The videos will be premiered close to the album’s release date. The originals explore significant periods in Chloé’s development.

The opening track, “Black Sheep,” discusses the struggles of being an artistic person in less than sympathetic surroundings. She encourages others to “sing proud when you finally find your voice” and “be proud to be a black sheep.” “Fairy Tale Fail” warns that life does not always have Disney endings. Prince Charming may “pick you up, but eventually lets you down.” “Free” recalls a youthful journey with a treasured friend. “We were unaware that we had it all; we were kings who didn’t know that the freedom we took for granted was a treasure trove.” “Where Love Began” also looks backward to a simpler time “when love was all we had.” Finally, “Crazy” speaks to the insane behavior that one exhibits when in love: “I walked into a tree today cuz in every cloud I was seeing your face and I laughed through the pain.…” At low times in her career, she – like many others – have questioned her motives about pursuing music as a career. But this collaboration with Ray Obiedo shows that she was on the right track all along.