Chloe X Halle

Working at Teen Vogue, one of my biggest joys was meeting young stars before their prime. Few were as sensational or instantly lovable as Chloe and Halle Bailey. The self-taught R&B stars and multi-talented sisters—whose voices literally stopped traffic when they broke into song for me at a Los Angeles restaurant in 2015—earned a coveted early co-sign from Queen Bey, who discovered their breathtaking renditions of her ballads on YouTube. Now, they’re garnering Grammy buzz for their critically praised 2020 album Ungodly Hour, which showcases a sound all their own, with influences ranging from Beyoncé to Billie Holiday, but for the TikTok generation. Their careers now span film and television—Halle will play a Disney princess in her role as Ariel in the upcoming adaptation of The Little Mermaid, and both have long been fan favorites on Freeform’s Grown-ish. Through it all, their steadfast sisterhood remains strong. Watching the evolution of two young, self-possessed Black girls blossom into full-blown women before our eyes is a gift to all who bear witness. They are Black Girl Magic personified—and this is just the beginning.

Welteroth is an author, a former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue and co-host of CBS’ The Talk

Correction, Feb. 18

The original version of this story misstated the status of Elaine Welteroth’s work on Project Runway. She is a former judge on the series.