There’s one feeling I had the pleasure of experiencing a little over a week ago and that was: seeing my favorite artist perform live. That’s right, I saw Halsey perform in Cleveland at the Wolstein Center, while I sat in my section 1 floor seats.
After losing my voice and loving every second of my life, after the concert I had some time to reflect. There aren’t many artists whose songs have any effect on me, but Halsey’s always have. This is what every song individually means to me:
1. Colors
Being her third single on her debut album, Badlands, the meaning behind this song is very present. It’s about how blue is a very versatile color and how being in a relationship with someone can result in that person showing all their true colors, even the ones that aren’t so pretty.
2. Gasoline
Another song from her first album, Gasoline has a very deep meaning and references, for example, Halsey’s bipolar disorder. I think this song can speak to anyone experiencing any sort of mental illness, and help them realize that they truly aren’t in this alone.
3. Hurricane
Being one of my absolute favorite songs of all time, Hurricane reminds me to be independent and to be proud of that. The song reminds me that I don’t always need a boy to feel special, and that being without a boy is way more powerful than being with one. Also featured in one of my favorite movies, Nerve, the Arty remix of the song is definitely one to jam to.
4. Eyes Closed
I like how Halsey collaborated with The Weeknd to produce this song. This song is on her new album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, and has a darker meaning than most of her other songs. This song portrays the feeling of being in a new relationship, but never being able to forget about your ex. I think this song can be very relatable for anyone experiencing a harsh break up with their first love.
5. Strangers
Another song from her second album, Strangers emphasizes the feelings that shortly follow being in a relationship that simply didn’t work out the way it should’ve. I think this song is really powerful and speaks to those who were in a relationship that they really wanted to work, but it just couldn’t. I also like how Halsey references references the LGBT community in this song, because being bi is really an important aspect of who she is.
6. Devil in Me
Halsey worked alongside Sia with this song, and I especially like this song because it is very relatable in the sense that everybody has their demons, but that everybody has it in them to find themselves once again.
7. Bad at Love
Being one of her most popular works on Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, this song has stuck out to me since I heard it for the very first time. It reminds me that it is not uncommon to be the problem in the relationship, and that jealousy is common. In the words of Halsey, “what if YOU were the problem?”
(All photos courtesy of Tumblr and Giphy)