Halsey delivers a new sound for her fans

Fans have been anxious for new music from Halsey since her last album “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom” was released in 2017. Fans can finally stop asking because Halsey is proving her music was worth the wait.

Her song, “Without Me” is her first solo record released since 2017. On a radio show with Zane Lowe, the artist told her interviewer about why the song was so important.

“It’s like this is really me talking about my life. It kind of gave me like an existential crisis as an artist a little bit, because I’ve prided myself on being an artist who’s authentic and writes about her life and all that stuff.”

That is something I’ve always liked about Halsey-- the honesty. When I listen to music, I always look for the meaning. My number one pet peeve when it comes to music is when an artist writes about whatever will get them on the radio. Halsey is one of the few who manages to get on the radio from writing about what really matters to her. Other songs (like “New Americana”) reflects her perception on society and her identity as being someone “raised on Biggie and Nirvana”.

Is there something I don’t like about Halsey? Unfortunately, yes. Her music has been leaning away from the alternative genre and more into the pop genre. The problem isn’t with pop music, but with whether or not it fits her. Halsey just doesn’t seem to suit pop music. My favorite songs of hers all come from her earlier albums like “Badlands”, her album from 2015. They had more drama to them, more feeling.

Personally, I like Halsey on her own. She has collaborated with famous artists like The Chainsmokers, G-Eazy and Justin Bieber. The songs recorded with artists just don’t have the same depth to them (although I will make an exception for the songs “Closer” and “Paris” she did with The Chainsmokers). Towards the end of last year, she collaborated with Khalid and Benny Blanco to create a song called “Eastside”. I was bored listening to it, it sounded like anything else on the radio.

That being said, I’m not losing faith. Halsey will probably always be an alternative artist and there are some songs that will always have a spot on my playlist. “Colors”, “Roman Holiday”, “Is There Somewhere”... these are just a few songs I can’t get enough of. While she may be trying new styles, it is truly exciting to see what Halsey comes up with.