Chloë is from Cheshire, England and has built a passion for her craft. She has a long history of live performances and gigs and her diverse appeal has meant she's shared the bill with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Nikki Lane, The Shires amongst many other familiar names. For someone with the wealth of experience performing her grounded modesty and stagecraft is the perfect blend for audiences to full appreciate her music.
Chloë released 'Temper Gene' on 11th August 2023, and tells me that:
“Temper gene is a song seen through the perspective of someone that is caught up in someone else’s problems, and they believe they can help, but actually it finally dawns on them, that they will keep going round in circles, things will get better temporarily, but ultimately they go back to the start, and the cycle starts again!”
"I wasn’t looking for a war
I just wanted peace
I wasn’t searching for someone
but I found crazy."
This verse demonstrates the conflict we come up against when we offer help, but it's not fully appreciated and the problem continues. The lyrics also could be interpreted as an inner conversation; we don't go looking for war within ourselves and how we're all searching for inner peace. Whether this be mental health or social media induced pressure. I'm out search for ourselves, we may envisage who we'll become, but this isn't always the way our paths lead and could be described crazy with all the different forms of who we want to be slowly appearing.
"I never saw it coming
I failed to see the warnings
I tried to hide behind those forgiving eyes."
Much like life, things can crop up out of seemingly anywhere without warning. It's a testament to our character and our resilience as to how we tackle these challenges. The lyric hiding behind forgiving eyes to me suggests pleading some sort of innocence, when we should all be ready to expect the unexpected. It is one of the many surety's of life.
"You got a temper gene
Operate like a mean machine
You turn into a psycho
Then round and round we go
You got a temper gene."
The chorus references having a'temper gene' which I think is fair to say we all have and it's down to what tolerance we can take. When we're trying to offer help to have it thrown back ungratefullg can make many feel mad and become a 'mean machine' however isn't this generally the best solution, some tough love? Turning into a psycho can be from both parties, frustration of not understanding the problems or trying to help but actually making it worse. It charts the vicious merry go round of being in such a situation. You can only offer help if it is willing to be received and if they're prepared to put some work in to evoke the change.
"You knew just how to push my buttons
You were the master of puppets
Manipulated every conversation we ever had, before it ended bad."
Sometimes we can sense when and 'how to push' someone's buttons, yet we never really can tell for ourselves. We've all been in at least one conversation where subjected to the 'master of puppets' and how they 'manipulated every conversation'. We're always searching for the truth, be that from ourselves, or from others. When we think we know someone, something comes out of the shadows and casts them in a whilee new light.
"I always tried to hide it
When questioned I denied it
But I couldn’t fight it anymore
So I got out of this toxicity."
This verse could be suggesting that they're trying to hide their good intentions as they know it'll backfire on them. Conversely it could be interpreted that this relates to our sexuality and we're denying ourselves the truth to try and fit outdated social norms; finally we realise we shouldn't be fighting this and get out of the toxicity of the culture and declare ourselves for who we are. Speaking our truth shouldn't mean we are persecuted for it. The song then returns to the chorus which is followed by the bridge.
"I sacrificed you to set me free
Now all thats left is a poisoned memory
It made me stronger, and through it all
I found the better me."
Realising that helping or being with another isn't serving you, then you terminate that friendship/ relationship to allow yourself more time to focus on yourself and your needs. The poised memory relates to the association of this other person, despite wanting to remember the better times. Quite often mutually parting ways is best for you both, making you both stronger in the long run, and ultimately finding 'the better me'.
Music Break
I’m happy
The song once again returns to the chorus reminding us how people can change in an instant and how we all possess the 'Temper Gene'.
"And round and round and round and around
And around, round, round and around
And around, round and around and round and a round!"
The outro charts the sometimes vicious cycle that we go on in life. Whilst it may not be the same person we're trying to help, the results can be similar. With that being said, it's not to discourage you from helping friends and loved ones in their times of need, or to help them gain perspective for themselves; better communication is what is perhaps required to understand them and to convey your intentions.
'Temper Gene' was released 11th August and is available to stream and download from your usual music streaming platform. For more information about Chloë, then check out her website https://chloechadwick.com/home and follow her on socials media and the music platforms.
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