Halsey

Halsey, the New York-raised vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, rapidly advanced from underground circles into an international chart force through her intense fusion of pop, electronic textures, and alternative rock. Her major-label bow arrived in 2014 on Astralwerks via the double-platinum Badlands, which soon anchored her near the summit of the charts after an unforeseen blockbuster pairing with electronic duo the Chainsmokers on “Closer.” Sophomore set Hopeless Fountain Kingdom delivered her first U.S. album number one, while late-2010s singles “Bad at Love,” “Him & I,” and “Eastside” accumulated platinum honors and sustained her radio dominance. The 2020 album Manic yielded “Without Me,” Halsey’s initial solo chart-topping single. In 2021 she ventured further with the concept album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, helmed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross; it marked her fourth straight Top Five Billboard 200 entry, and non-album cuts such as “So Good” and “Die 4 Me” kept her charting. She issued her fifth studio album, The Great Impersonator, in 2024.

Born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane in Edison, New Jersey, she spent her formative years performing on violin, viola, cello, and guitar while absorbing inspiration from Alanis Morissette, Justin Bieber, and Brand New. That wide-ranging palette later shaped her dark, emotive pop style, which resonated across both mainstream and alternative audiences. Taking her stage name from a Brooklyn L train stop, she surfaced with the single “Ghost,” securing a deal with Capitol-owned electronic/dance label Astralwerks in early 2014. Debut EP Room 93 followed that October. In 2015 Halsey released full-length Badlands, featuring production from Lido, the Futuristics, Son Lux, and additional contributors. Alongside “Ghost,” the album contained the hit “New Americana,” plus “Colors” and “Castle,” the latter appearing in a version on the soundtrack to The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Early comparisons to Chvrches and Lorde accompanied its number-two Billboard 200 debut and strong sales, which ultimately earned double-platinum certification.

Continued momentum arrived in 2016 when her featured turn on the Chainsmokers’ “Closer” propelled the single to global chart peaks, eventually collecting dozens of platinum certifications across the U.S., Australia, the U.K., and elsewhere.

Halsey resurfaced in 2017 with “Not Afraid Anymore,” placed on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. Three months later she issued “Now or Never,” the lead single from sophomore album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. Working with Sia, Greg Kurstin, and Benny Blanco, the June 2017 LP topped the Billboard 200 and spawned another Top Five hit, “Bad at Love.” A remix of the album’s dark pop track “Alone,” featuring Big Sean and Stefflon Don, surfaced in March 2018. Later that year she joined Benny Blanco’s solo single “Eastside” alongside Khalid; the Hot 100 success further elevated her profile, which also included a voice role as Wonder Woman in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies and an appearance in the Lady Gaga film A Star Is Born. By year’s end she claimed her first number-one single as lead artist with “Without Me,” built around an interpolation of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River.”

Halsey opened 2019 with high-profile collaborations including “11 Minutes” with Travis Barker and Yungblud and “Boy with Luv” with K-pop superstars BTS. Promotion for third album Manic accelerated that spring. Singles “Nightmare” and “Graveyard” signaled a darker, more introspective tone, while third single “Without Me” had already become her first number-one as main artist. Manic arrived in January 2020, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 and earning platinum status in the U.S. EP Collabs followed in July, uniting her with Juice Wrld on “Life’s a Mess” and Marshmello on “Be Kind.” Badlands (Live from Webster Hall), a concert recording marking the five-year anniversary of her debut, appeared one month later.

After a prolific stretch, Halsey returned in 2021 with fourth studio album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, a Grammy-nominated conceptual work centered on pregnancy and childbirth that debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and released in August, it was accompanied by a film of the same name. In addition to the producers’ signature sonic palette, the set showcased contributions from Lindsey Buckingham, Dave Grohl, Dave Sitek, and others. Her first 2022 release was the sultry, restrained single “So Good,” followed by “Stay with Me,” a Calvin Harris collaboration also featuring Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams. Another non-album track, “Die 4 Me,” arrived in early 2023 and peaked at number 27 on Billboard’s Pop 100 chart.

Halsey launched her next album cycle in 2024 with “The End,” the lead single from The Great Impersonator. Her fifth studio LP examined varied facets of her life and persona through the prism of major influences including PJ Harvey, Kate Bush, Amy Lee, Bowie, Cher, Aaliyah, and more.