By Sarah Mills
It may sound like a frozen ice for summer, but for U.S. pianist Chloe Flower “popsical” is her trademark blend of pop and classical that is tapping into demand for holiday music for thoughtful times.
“I wanted to create something for everyone because I know the holidays aren’t always happy,” said Chloe of her festive record “Chloe Hearts Christmas”.
“It kind of ebbs and flows through happy and sad and melancholy and hopeful,” she added.
Flower, has come up with a style she says does not belong in the usual categories – hence the name popsical.
Now aged 38, she has played the piano since she was two and cannot imagine life without it.
“I don’t think there’s anything else I could do for 14 hours a day and not want to die,” she said.
Signed to Sony Music Masterworks, Chloe’s first solo album was released in 2021.
Her public profile had already surged after rapper Cardi B hired her in 2019 to accompany her at the Grammy Awards on a piano that once belonged to the legendary performer Liberace.
The 16 tracks of “Chloe Hearts Christmas”, in her popsical style, include Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, Joni Mitchell’s “River” and BTS singer V’s “Christmas Tree”.
Born in Pennsylvania and of Korean heritage, Flower relishes the cultural exchange South Korea’s BTS boy band has spurred.
“I love (how) BTS (have) brought Asian culture to America. I see friends singing in Korean and they have no idea what they’re saying, but that’s so cool, right?” she said.
(Reporting by Sarah Mills; editing by Barbara Lewis)
