“I Wanted This Album to Remind People They’re Not Alone”: Chloe Stroll on Her Debut Record, Country Influences and More

There's a quiet, peaceful sense of contentment that underpins Chloe Stroll's debut record - but one that feels as though it's been honed and intensified through struggle.

As the title - Bloom in the Break - indicates, the serenity and optimism of ‘Home’ and ‘A Lot to Give’ wouldn't be possible without the discomfort-zone introspection and inner work that Stroll documents on ‘Love in the Dark’ and ‘Passenger Seat’.

Stroll is no stranger to the public eye, being the daughter of F1 billionaire Lawrence Stroll, the sister of F1 driver Lance Stroll and the wife of Olympic athlete, Scotty James. But now, through this new era of music, Chloe is showcasing why she deserves to be known in her own right, rather than by her familial relations.

It's vibrant and compelling debut record, one that finds Stroll nimbly blurring the lines between R&B, soul, country, pop and more. As the Canadian up-and-comer stresses, the vocals and lyrics were always the driving forces in the writing room, rather than considerations of genre, “I never sat down with the intention of writing a “pop song” or an “R&B song.” For me, it always started with my voice and what felt right in the moment. I’ve been fortunate that my voice naturally blends across different genres, so marrying them together became part of the process - but never the goal. The genre of each track really grew out of the message I wanted to convey and what musical style best carried that emotion”.

Although not the first song to be penned, ‘Home’ quickly set itself apart as the kernel of the record, “‘Home’ actually came quite late in the process, but from the moment we began writing it, I knew it would become the keystone of the album. I’ve always believed that the more simply and directly you can capture your feelings, the stronger the lyric - and with ‘Home,’ I felt we really nailed that balance of honesty and melody. It immediately resonated with me in a way that set it apart from the other songs, and that’s when I knew it was going to anchor the entire project”.

A similarly pivotal chapter in this opus is ‘You're OK’, which serves as a powerful, bittersweet reflection on grief, inspired by the loss of Stroll's beloved grandmother in 2015.

While painful, the creation of this track also felt like a release, “It was incredibly cathartic. I wanted to give the experience of loss the honesty and depth it deserves, so I pushed myself to relive those emotions while writing. It wasn’t always easy, but revisiting those feelings allowed me to capture the essence of what I was going through and translate it into a song that I hope others can connect with”.

As ‘You're OK’ highlights, there is a refreshing determination to hold onto hope across Bloom in the Break, and a steadfast belief that brighter days are on the horizon. Stroll never shies away from baring her soul and delving deep, but makes a concerted effort to end on a note of positivity and impart what she has learned along the way.

The ‘Water Over Sand’ singer-songwriter muses, “Even though not every song was originally written with the album in mind, I always envisioned the project carrying a thread of hope beneath the heavier themes. To me, that’s the most important part”.

Stroll movingly expands, “Life can be unpredictable, overwhelming, and at times deeply isolating - but I wanted this album to remind people they’re not alone. Through the depth and the weight, I wanted to offer a silver lining, a sense of connection, and the reassurance that others have walked that same path too”.

Given the intimacy and candour of Bloom in the Break, it benefits from Stroll's decision not to recruit any guest vocalists. But down the line, the fast-emerging artist underlines, she would be keen to open up her process and join forces with other artists, “I’d love to collaborate with someone like John Legend - his piano work and the truth in his lyrics are just incredible. I also deeply admire artists like Lewis Capaldi, Adele, and Beyoncé. Each of them has carved out a unique voice and presence, and the idea of blending that artistry with mine would be a dream”.

Stroll cites Capaldi and Adele - as well as Billie Eilish - as some of her biggest influences, and credits them for managing “to stay authentically themselves no matter what life throws at them”, before toasting, “I really admire how they channel honesty and vulnerability into their music, and that’s something I strive for as well”.

As for the country-leaning impulses that are infused into portions of Bloom in the Break, these arise out of a deep-seated love for the genre and its penchant for rich narratives.

Stroll gushes, “It’s such a powerful genre for storytelling, and the melodies are often unforgettable”, before name-checking “Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, and Zach Bryan” as three of her favourite country artists. She credits this trio for having “a way of blending raw emotion with incredible songwriting, which I find really inspiring.

Altogether, Bloom in the Break is an enchanting mission statement from Stroll, and cements her as an artist you need on your radar, regardless of whether you're a R&B, pop or country fan. As she demonstrates across this album, Stroll can do it all.