Chloe Stroll has always played the piano. She could belt out a tune from a young age, something that her mother noticed and encouraged her to keep pursuing. Coming from a sports-oriented family, her brother being Formula 1's Lance Stroll and her father, Lawrence Stroll, owning Aston Martin's F1 team, and her husband being Olympic snowboarder Scotty James, Chloe has had her share of sporting events...but something always pulled her back to music.
I sat down over Zoom with Chloe late night a while back, but for her the day was just beginning. She splits her time between Monaco and Australia, currently residing with Scotty's family in Australia as he trains. And no, she can't choose a favorite between the beautiful countries. I asked.
Chloe has a calming presence, reflecting self-awareness and humility despite the high-profile company she keeps- her wedding in May was star-studded, with attendees like Daniel Ricciardo and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Sitting and talking to her feels easy, like a friend catching up. But that's the power of music, right? To bring people from all walks of life together, the great equalizer.
Chloe Stroll is new to music right now, with her debut being "Run" - a single based on a traumatizing break-in that she experienced with her husband. When talking to artists, I know that the writing process can be equally as therapeutic as listening can be for a fan...but it didn't occur to Stroll to write about it until someone suggested it.
She chuckles a little at the thought, how crazy it can be when an idea is right in front of you and you need another perspective to see it. But the words came easily for her, and what came of it was the perfect introduction to Chloe's music.
It's not easy to emotionally pour your heart out into a song and share yourself with the world, which is why what Chloe's doing is so admirable. Taking a completely different life path requires guts, which we can tell she has from her songs. Now, she's releasing her sophomore single, "Pedestal."
Chloe Stroll's sound is predominantly pop, but what she really wants you to hear is the piano that she so loves. It's the only instrument she plays, though she muses about how she wishes she played the guitar, and she uses it to her advantage. I asked if she had a specific sound in mind when starting her career, but it honestly wasn't her goal to be a "pop singer" or a "rock artist."
Stroll wants to make music, honest and true to herself, so if it blends genres, so be it. The only territory she won't go is heavy metal, to which I joke that if I hear her screamo track in a few years that I'll know something went wrong. We both laugh, because Chloe's passion is clearly to make music she's proud of, and that would never happen.
She grew up singing Broadway tunes, to which we both fangirl momentarily over the glorious show that is Wicked. I had the Elphaba wand, she's seen it multiple times. But those were never her inspirations, so to speak. She wasn't growing up thinking she wanted to star in her own Broadway show, making that kind of music.
Written alongside Scott Harris, "Pedestal" is a powerful, emotional song about heartbreak in any form. It gives you a good idea of Chloe Stroll's sound, which features her delicate, yet prominent vocals. It has the makings of a classic: heartbreaking lyrics about lost love, talented vocals, and a gut-wrenching hook. You can listen to the song here:
“‘Pedestal’ is about someone breaking your heart,” Stroll said, “And the reality is, no matter if it is a relationship or friendship, it’s devastating when someone that you held in such high regard has broken your heart. Whether it’s a trial of trust or whatever could have happened, that was where the inspiration for the song came from.”
As for what's next, Chloe is planning on dropping more singles in the future similar to "Run" and "Pedestal." I pushed harder, wondering about perhaps an album or a live performance is on the horizon. But for Chloe, things are fluid. She seems comfortable and confident in where she is as an artist. To me, that's all you can ask for.
Merry Christmas from Simone
