Cold, desperate and longing for some sign of hope, Halsey built her 5th album from the darkest corners of her life, after being diagnosed with cancer and becoming a single mother.
Ashley Frangipane, who performs under stage name Halsey, recently released her album The Great Impersonator on Oct. 25. She is best known for her 2015 album Badlands, a concept album set in a post–apocalyptic desert. Since 2015, Halsey has released four albums, each following either a storyline or a pivotal event in her life. Her music soundtracked the 2014 –16 Tumblr era, cranking out smash pop hits about relationships, loneliness and relatable mental health struggles. Now, Halsey tells a new narrative.
After announcing she was diagnosed with both lupus and leukemia, Halsey’s music shares the story of a single mother struggling with chronic illness, relationships and work. While still tackling many of the same themes she did early on in her career, Halsey revisits those emotions with a new, more matured sound building songs more on meaning rather than catchy beats.
In her track “I Believe in Magic”, Halsey uses only a solo acoustic guitar to accompany her vocals. In the breaks of the song, she overlays sound bites of her son Ender playing and talking. With the song being about motherhood and growing old, the simplistic combination of the two creates a sentimental melody that has listeners reflecting on their upbringings and futures.
Sticking to the theme of schematic instrumentals, in her song “Life of the Spider” the only sounds are her vocals and a raw piano. Her vocals are uncut, allowing the listener to hear every voice crack, breath and imperfection. Not only does it give the song a strong, authentic emotion, but it also humaizes Halsey as a person. Halsey can sometimes just seem like an artist who makes music and lives the dream in the spotlight, but hearing her voice unedited makes one realize how real and relatable her experiences are.
In tandem with Halsey’s recent medical diagnoses, much of her album surronds concepts of spirtuality, life and death, motherhood and isolation. In the track “Dog Years” she paints a picture of her struggles with chronic illness, singing, “Put me down like a lame horse or send me to the farm where all the dogs go.” Through these lyrics, Halsey explores the ideas of longing to be released from the struggles that have plagued her so heavily. When she compares herself to an animal being put down, she elaborates on her desires to choose how she dies, rather than an illness being the reason she passes. This emotional depth of her lyrical abilites draws the listener further into the meaning of the album.
Moreover, in her song, “Lonely is the Muse,” she writes, “I spent years becoming cool and in one single second you can make a decade of my efforts disappear,” demonstrating her feelings of isolation and easy disposal by the music industry. “Lonely is the Muse” is angry, mad and dejected, produced with heavy drums, electric guitar and grungy vocals. These stylistic choices are extremely central to the structure of her album.
In The Great Impersonator, each track is inspired by an artist from numerous decades ranging from the ‘70s all the way to the 2000s. For “Lonely is the Muse,” Halsey draws inspiration from the early 2000s rock band Evanesence to aid in the song’s creation. Many other artists provided stimuli for her album such as Fiona Apple, Dolly Parton, David Bowie and PJ Harvey. Halsey ‘impersonates’ these artists, establishing a lost sense of self and identity throughout the album.
Having a variety of different sounds resembling multiple decades and musical genres creates an album that appeals to all ages and listeners. Though the album may not be cohesive to listen to from start to finish, there is a song for every day and every feeling. Halsey’s showcase of diversity in her music emphasizes her true talent as an artist, cementing her spot at the top of the industry.
Halsey’s songwriting, unique production and mimicry of other artists construscts an album that is not just to be listened to for enjoyment but to be admired as a painting is upon a wall. Not only has Halsey shown mastery of her craft as an artist who continues to amaze listeners with ever–changing genres and eras, but she has also established her role as a human in this world who endures hardships just like anyone else.
The Great Impersonator is a genuine account of a mother’s life that will be beloved by music–lovers for years to come. This album will transport listeners all over the timeline and pull the strings of their hearts in the best ways possible. Sit down and enjoy, and when you want to escape reality, pick a track and “impersonate” whatever you would like to be.
