(photo courtesy of Highlight Magazine)
Are you a fan of Halsey? If yes, great! If not, here is why you should be.
Halsey, 20, born Ashley Frangipane, is a bi-racial, American singer and songwriter who recently released her first studio album, Badlands. She grew up playing the violin, viola, and the cello until settling down with the acoustic guitar. At the age of seventeen, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began writing songs to express herself. She was later able to make enough money to pay her rent by playing various acoustic shows under different stage names. She eventually started to use Halsey as her official stage name, as it was an anagram of her first name and the name of a street in Brooklyn where she spent a lot of time.
Halsey has listed The Cure, Cranberries, Nirvana, The Notorious B.I.G., and even 2Pac as influencers of her music. Her style has been described as indie pop as well as electropop. Halsey’s song “Ghost” helped her gain attention and eventually sign with the Astralwerks label. She soon released her first EP album in 2014 called Room 93. Badlands was released this past August with some re-recorded songs from Room 93, as well as a set of new songs such as “Castle,” “Hold Me Down,” “Colors,” “Roman Holiday,” and “Drive.”
Here are some of the best songs from her Badlands album, some of the best lyrics, and why. Of course, all of her songs are fantastic, but these are just a few of my favorites.
“Castle”
Reasons Why: Halsey’s opening track is fantastic for the women of Mount Holyoke. It is a great feminist track about a woman fighting the patriarchy. I think we can agree that we are all about overthrowing the patriarchy. The best things about this song is the lyrics, as well as the background vocals.
Best Lyrics:
“I’m headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne that’s saying that I probably shouldn’t be so mean”
“Colors”
Reasons Why: This quick paced track has a more melancholy tone to it as Halsey uses colors to paint pictures, create characters, and describe her emotions about loss. The words and beautiful vocals are sure to capture your attention, especially the chorus.
Best Lyrics:
“You were red and you liked me because I was blue
You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky
And you decided purple just wasn’t for you.”
“Control”
Reasons Why: The chilling, emotional music reminds me of some of Lorde’s tunes, but what sets the two apart, is the lyrics. While Lorde stuck with aristocracy, society, and luxury in her debut studio album, Pure Heroine, Halsey’s song is more personal and presents a message about inner strength. Halsey has also stated that this song is about her bipolar disorder.
Best Lyrics:
“I’m bigger than my body
I’m colder than this home
I’m meaner than my demons
I’m bigger than these bones”
“Gasoline”
Reasons Why: This song certainly has a science fiction feel when you listen to it. This track starts off with Halsey asking questions, wondering if she is a machine, until she finally admits that there is a “flaw in [her] code.” She uses these lyrics to describe herself, especially with being part of the music industry now and dealing with her bipolar disorder.
Best Lyrics:
“And all the people say,
‘You can’t wake up, this is not a dream
You’re part of a machine, you are not a human being
With your face all made up, living on a screen
Low on self esteem, so you run on gasoline.”
“Hold Me Down”
Reasons Why: This is my favorite song by Halsey particularly because of the catchy, quirky beat and haunting vocals. The song feels very intimate about facing personal demons as well as very real, physical demons. This song is all about not letting anything hold you down.
Best Lyrics:
“Hold me down, hold me down
Throw me in the deep end, watch me drown
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for.”
Badlands, named after a metaphor for Halsey’s state of mind while working on the album, is currently #2 on the iTunes Top Albums Chart, #1 on the Alternative Albums Chart, and five songs have spots in the Top 20 of the Top Alternative Songs Chart. The record has allowed her to share her feelings about sex, society, strength, emotion as well as explore her identity as a “tri-bi” (biracial, bisexual, and bipolar).
Halsey and her new album have skyrocketed in popularity because of her honest lyrics, charismatic vocals, and unique sound. In a recent interview, Halsey stated that she is already in the process of creating new material for a sophomore album.