Chloë Bailey is set to make a splash with her role in the upcoming Prime Video series, Swarm, which premiers this Friday. The series focuses on sisterhood and mental health, with Bailey’s character Marissa appearing in more mature and adult scenarios alongside her boyfriend Khalid, played by Damson Idris. Bailey has expressed her excitement to be a part of the show, citing its exploration of important themes as one of its strengths. In addition to a strong cast, the show boasts some big names as guest stars, including one of the biggest pop stars in the world.
Swarm is the brainchild of Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, and was inspired by the BeyHive, the group of die-hard Beyoncé fans known for their passionate and sometimes borderline terrifying support and protection of the singer. Nabers and Glover used this level of devotion to tell a bigger story about mental health, loss, and grief, while also creating a character in Dre that we haven’t seen before. She starts off as childlike, vulnerable, and innocent, and evolves into a ruthless serial killer as she grieves.
The show focuses on Dre’s obsession with fictional pop star character, Ni’Jah, who is inspired by Beyoncé and is Bailey’s character Marissa’s inspiration. Dre’s love for Ni’Jah is something she shares with Marissa since they were kids, but Marissa has since developed a life and other interests outside of Ni’Jah. The title for Swarm was inspired by the BeyHive, but the show is not about stans and fandom culture. Instead, it’s about Dre and what she uses as her vice and her outlet to justify her journey as she fights for her sister. Bailey emphasizes that the show is about Dre and her different outlets in her mental health journey, how she processes her trauma and her pain.
Bailey has been in the spotlight since she was a little girl as part of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her sister. They have since ventured into doing their own projects, and Bailey will be releasing her debut solo album In Pieces on March 31. The singer is familiar with fandoms and the way artists and fans interact with each other online. Aside from having firsthand experience with online stans, she is also signed to Parkwood Entertainment; that company is owned by Beyoncé, the inspiration for the fictional pop star character of Ni’Jah on the show.
Overall, Swarm promises to be an exciting series that tackles important themes while delivering a gripping storyline. With Bailey and other talented actors at the helm, it’s sure to be a hit.
