The Brilliant Flower

Pianist and composer Chloe Flower is taking the music world by storm. From performing with rapper Cardi B earlier this year at the 61st annual Grammy Awards (“It was my first time performing on live television. I was so nervous and had no idea what I was doing”) to producing an album to be released in early 2020, Flower has had quite the busy year. The talented musician has come a long way from sitting on a “telephone book and pillow” when she started playing the piano at just 2 years old, thanks to the continuous support from her parents. “I’m so lucky that my parents gave me all the necessary tools to be a musician if I wanted to. Growing up, I was able to practice all day because they really wanted me to focus on music,” she recalls.

Now at 34 years old, she has shown off her hard work and dedication to her craft. Her stellar Grammy performance sent the Twittersphere into a frenzy with tweets commending Flower for her skills and stage presence. Flower herself wasn’t even fully aware of the impact she made on stage until a few hours later. “It was crazy that I was trending. I wasn’t even sure if people liked it,” says Flower, adding that the next thing she knew, TIME was messaging her on Instagram and asking for an interview. “I was like, ‘Was my boob showing?’ I was wearing hotel slippers on stage too and was wondering if they were visible. I was really shocked they even wanted to talk to me.”

When the accomplished pianist isn’t performing or composing, Flower works alongside many institutions (including the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime) supporting music education and anti-human trafficking. “In addition to awareness campaigns and PSAs, I really like to use music as a therapy option,” she says as she believes in the power of music and has gone to shelters to play piano for the residents. Furthermore, Flower collaborates with the Compton Unified School District where she shares her insights on the benefits of music and tries to get people excited about it. “There are no limitations when it comes to music. We all could be in an orchestra together, you don’t even have to be good!” affirms Flower whose mission is to help bring people and cultures together.

Flower’s latest single “No Limit” honors legendary 18th-century composer Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, with her own flair incorporated to the piece. “I always want my music to be empowering. I want classical music to be exciting, new, and different – but always empowering and inspiring others,” says Flower, who also added various string instruments and percussion to the tune. “So many girls send me messages and videos of themselves dancing or getting ready to go out to my music. That makes me so happy. A lot of my boyfriend’s work friends even say they lift to my music.”

Flower is planning to drop more singles before the anticipated release of her album next year as she hopes to keep stimulating the minds of others. “I want it not only to make people happy, but to [make them] feel excited or motivated. That’s what music has always meant to me,” she describes. “If I was feeling bad or having anxiety about something, any time I would practice the piano, it would go away.”

Writer: Gavy Contreras

Photographer: Ron Contarsy (for Highmark Studios)

Stylist: Nirali Mehta

Hair: Corey Tuttle (for Exclusive Artists Management - using R+Co)

Makeup: Clarissa Luna

Makeup Assistant: Desireé D'elia

Media Producer: Gavy Contreras

Editor: Eiko Watanabe

Special thanks to W New York - Times Square (@wnytimessquare - www.whotelsnewyork.com/property/w-new-york-times-square/) & Just Salad (@justsalad - www.justsalad.com) & EPK Media (@myepk & @epkmedia - epkmedia.com)