With a magnetic blend of raw lyricism, genre-bending soundscapes, and unapologetic authenticity, Halsey has solidified herself as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music. From their early breakthrough with Badlands to the chart-topping success of Hopeless Fountain Kingdom and Manic, to the groundbreaking album of If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, each album has been a testament to her evolution as an artist unafraid to explore the depths of human emotion and societal commentary. Now, as whispers of a new and unannounced album ripple through the industry, fans eagerly expect the next chapter in Halsey’s musical journey. Given their knack for breaking boundaries and creating tunes that really hit home, fans are curious as to what this new era has in store.
Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, more commonly known as Halsey, is a singer, songwriter, parent, the founder of two beauty brands, reproductive and mental health activist, and the love of my life. Most well-known from the 2014 Tumblr world of Room 93 and Badlands, “Closer” by the Chainsmokers, and that one awful video of Halsey covering Blink 182 at the mall, there is so much more to Halsey than most people seem to realize.
They began with uploading cover songs to social media platforms like YouTube and Tumblr while working on their own original music. It was her self-released music on these platforms, particularly on SoundCloud, that caught the attention of music industry insiders. In 2014, her song “Ghost” gained significant traction online, drawing the interest of record labels. Halsey’s breakthrough came when they signed with Astralwerks, a subsidiary of Capitol Records. This signing provided her with the resources and platform to release her debut EP, Room 93, later that year. The EP received positive reviews and helped set up Halsey as an emerging artist to watch. However, it was her debut studio album, Badlands, released in 2015, that propelled them into mainstream success. With its dark, electropop sound and deeply personal lyrics, Badlands amassed critical acclaim and commercial success, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart.
Following Badlands, there was talk of a new era. From the start, H has loved to cryptically hint towards new music. For the case of Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (HFK), their sophomore album, they began hinting at it at the end of the “Badlands” tour with a video saying, “you can find me in the kingdom,” on display at the final concert in Madison Square Gardens. This was then followed by social media posts teasing the announcement of a new album. HFK marked a significant milestone in Halsey’s career, showcasing her evolution as both a musician and a storyteller. Released in 2017, the album delves into themes of love, heartbreak, and societal expectations, presented within the framework of a conceptual narrative inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. One of the album’s standout features is its cohesive narrative arc, which follows the journey of two star-crossed lovers navigating a dystopian world ruled by warring families. Through this narrative lens, Halsey explores themes of forbidden love, self-discovery, and the search for redemption, weaving a compelling story that unfolds across the album’s track list. HFK is introspective and confessional, with Halsey delving into their own experiences with love and loss while also addressing broader social issues such as identity, sexuality, and mental health. Tracks like “Now or Never,” “Bad at Love,” and “Sorry” showcase H’s ability to craft catchy hooks and memorable melodies while keeping a sense of emotional depth and vulnerability.
After HFK, there was talk of another album. Manic was announced after an eight-hour livestream where Halsey painted the cover of the album and announced it when she finished the painting. Manic, released in 2020, is a deeply introspective and emotionally charged album that serves as an unfiltered exploration of Halsey’s innermost thoughts and experiences. Unlike her earlier works, Manic strips away the layers and presents Halsey in her most vulnerable and authentic form, while gliding through various genres of music. It reflects the tumultuous and often conflicting emotions that Halsey grapples with throughout its tracks. From exhilarating highs to crushing lows, this album takes listeners on a rollercoaster ride through Halsey’s psyche, touching on themes of love, heartbreak, mental health, and self-discovery. Manic is deeply personal, with Halsey baring her soul and confronting her inner demons with unflinching honesty, describing the album as being from Ashley rather than Halsey. Halsey is described as the performer aspect, while Ashley is the raw human behind the act. Tracks like “Clementine” and “Ashley” delve into Halsey’s struggles with fame and self-identity, while songs like “3am” and “Still Learning” explore her experiences with love and heartbreak. One of the album’s most powerful moments comes in the form of “More,” a spoken-word interlude where Halsey shares coming to terms with living with Endometriosis and struggling to have children. This moment of vulnerability adds another layer of depth to the album, inviting listeners to empathize with Halsey’s journey and challenge the societal taboos surrounding mental health. Throughout the album, there are samples from movies such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Jennifer’s Body, which plays on the album’s various themes. Manic received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, with praise for its emotional depth, sound experimentation, and Halsey’s fearless vulnerability as an artist.
Along the vein of Halsey loving to spread easter eggs about upcoming releases, we see this prevalent before the announcement and release of their most recent album: If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power (IICHLIWP). In anticipation of this album, fans discovered an X account called @iichliwp, which posted the coordinates to a billboard that revealed the title of the album. The cover art was revealed in a livestream where a pregnant Halsey walked the halls of the Metropolitan Museum in New York and stopped in front of various paintings that depicted motherhood, a theme of the album. Released in 2021, this album explores H’s relationship with sexuality and childbirth in a passion project concept album. Produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails, the album delves into themes of power, womanhood, and societal expectations with a dark and cinematic edge. The album is a bold exploration of the complexities of womanhood and how power dynamics shape relationships and identity. Through tracks like “The Tradition” and “Bells in Santa Fe,” Halsey confronts societal norms and expectations, challenging the notion of female autonomy and agency. One of the album’s standout moments is “Easier than Lying,” a haunting ballad that delves into the particularities of love and desire. With its ethereal production and introspective lyrics, the song captures the emotional intensity and vulnerability that permeates the album. Halsey also paints a picture of an abusive relationship and compares herself to a siren who wreaks havoc on men in the song “Lighthouse”, also writing poetry and creating art inspired by it. On the album, “Darling” is an ode to her baby as well as her fans. In addition to its thematic depth, IICHLIWP is also notable for its innovative rollout strategy. Before its release, Halsey collaborated with IMAX to create a companion film, further immersing listeners in the album’s dark and atmospheric realm, a world of her own creation. This album is so personal and, in my opinion, ahead of its time. IICHLIWP is filled with deep prose and has not reached the same popularity as past projects, but nevertheless it is a work of art from visuals to sound to performance.
After struggling with endometriosis, suffering from miscarriages, and undergoing surgeries, in January of 2021 Halsey announced that they were pregnant. In July of that year, H announced the birth of Ender Ridley Aydin with a post describing the birth as being “the most ‘rare’ and euphoric birth. Powered by love.” Since then, they have been open about their experience with motherhood and the identity that accompanies it, navigating the complexities of being a woman in the public eye, particularly within the music industry.
Almost hand in hand with the release of IICHLIWP, Halsey announced a beauty brand called About-Face. The brand reflects her artistic expression and commitment to inclusivity and self-expression. Launched in January 2021, About-Face offers a diverse range of makeup products designed to empower individuals to embrace their unique identities and creativity. The brand’s name is a nod to the idea of transformation and self-reinvention, reflecting Halsey’s own journey of self-discovery and evolution. Through About-Face, Halsey looks to challenge traditional beauty standards and celebrate individuality in all its forms. One of the defining features of About-Face is its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. The brand offers a wide range of shades and formulas to cater to diverse skin tones and preferences, ensuring that everyone can find affordable products that suit their needs. After winning ten awards and starting AF94, a second makeup brand, Halsey can add successful entrepreneur to her resume.
More recently, Halsey cut ties with Capitol Records following the drama of her latest single “So Good.” After four years of fighting with the label, rewriting the song, and filming the music video, the label did not want to release the song until H went viral to sell it. Taking it to social media, Halsey shared a TikTok saying how all she wants to do is release music she made but the label won’t do it until she can “fake a viral moment.” There was so much conversation surrounding the song that Capitol Records set a release date for “So Good” within a week. After eight years, Halsey split with Capitol Records at the beginning of 2023 and signed with Columbia Records.
Now there is talk of a new Halsey era, as of now only referred to as H5. Last year they posted an image with the caption “Not pictured: me splitting myself in two everyday so that I can give you my deepest wounds (and a handful of perfect joys) for the 5th time in 10 years,” and has said that the album features some of her best songwriting. Halsey also mentioned she was working on a new album at Lollapalooza India in January of this year, marking the end of the IICHLIWP era. During her set, a link formylasttrick.com came on the screen. The website displays various stickers and decals with images and phrases that allude to past music and imaginatively including hints to future music.
It’s difficult to summarize an artist’s highs and lows in one place, especially without feeling parasocial. Hopefully this serves as a starting point to become one of Halsey’s darlings. Being a fan since I was 13, and seeing her live for the first time when I was 19, it’s hard to want to gatekeep the sheer talent that Halsey has. Whether you are a casual listener or a die-hard fan (like I am), there is no denying H’s success, creativity, and steadfastness in the face of a music industry and society that may be working against them.