Last year, a new artist came on the scene who dared to challenge the norms of popular music. Her name is Ashley Frangipane, but you might know her as Halsey.
I’m guessing some of you aren’t sure who I’m talking about, and some of you are saying “Oh yeah, I’ve seen her on Tumblr.” Others of you may be well-established fans (and will scoff at the rest of this article where I attempt to say what I know about her and give my thoughts on her first studio album, “Badlands.”
As an avid listener of indie pop and alternative music, I’ve been excited for this album to come out, despite the fact that Halsey draws more of a teen fan base. She celebrates her 21st birthday on Sept. 29, making her one of the younger artists in the music industry (and making me feel extremely unaccomplished).
“Badlands,” which came out on Aug. 28, is not a typical pop record – especially in terms of content. Conceptually, it is very dark and heavy. It’s also strikingly aesthetic; every song paints a distinct mental image which is very consistent throughout. Think of Halsey as Lana Del Rey’s slightly angrier little sister.
When I review an album, I like to give a track-by-track analysis since there is usually some variety in the songs the artist chooses to include. But since all the songs on “Badlands” are so similar in both sound and meaning, I decided against it this time. Halsey has actually referred to it as a concept album, which the Collins Dictionary defines as “an album that has a unifying theme or that tells a single story.” Admittedly, the album made much more sense to me after I learned this. “Badlands” isn’t a collection of earworm jams with the obligatory slow song thrown in for a little diversity. Instead, the album feels like a long, winding, twisted dream.
This persistent narrative and ambience is created, in part, through its musical elements and production techniques. Although I’m not an expert by any means, I feel that I am knowledgeable enough to pick up on the recurring melodies, consistent tempo and repetitive post-production effects. These electropop components feel familiar yet somehow fresh; at first listen, “Badlands” promises an exciting twist on old genres. But as the album progresses, creative beats and bold mixing aren’t enough to mark the album as anything particularly special.
I should clarify that, in my opinion, Halsey’s debut album certainly does not fall flat. However, it’s undoubtedly missing the pizazz that turns a good record into a hit. One of my biggest complaints is with the vocals – she uses that dry, heavily affected tone that female indie singers are so guilty of. She clearly has remarkable talent, as demonstrated in her live performances, and there is so much power in her voice. Unfortunately, none of the songs on “Badlands” showcase that even remotely. The songwriting itself is similarly disappointing; nearly every track has a promising first verse or pre-chorus, but the momentum tends to drop after that, leading to rather anticlimactic endings.
Then there is her choice of subject matter for her lyrics, which I find excessively dark. In an interview with Coup de Main Magazine, Halsey described “Badlands” as an “angry female record,” which is an accurate description. The album is nothing if not subversive. But, in the same interview, she also explained how Badlands, as a fictitious place, represents her mental state – her “only universe.” Considering that the album has such a singular focus – stories of and glimpses into a life full of dealings with abuse, drugs, mental illness, and more – she creates incredibly bleak images for her listeners. To put it bluntly, this becomes a little exhausting by the final track.
Having said all this, I still hold immense respect for Halsey as an artist and as a woman. She has clearly endured some of the worst struggles anyone could imagine, and to emerge from her hardships so wildly successful at age 20 is nothing short of inspiring. She has established an intimate connection with her young female audience and shown her fans more kindness than one would think possible from a celebrity. She promotes feminist values and advocates for the causes she is passionate about through her music and on social media, which is more than can be said for most pop artists. I don’t doubt she will soar as her career progresses; she has room to grow, but has laid a solid foundation.
