It’s tough to work out where Halsey fits in all this. Collaborations with Bieber and The Chainsmokers have made her voice a household occurrence, but the worlds she creates on record are still a secret to be told. Today, people are listening. There’s a swagger and a bubbling excitement from the moment she runs onto the stage and it only gets fiercer, more intense, as things unfold.
‘Badlands’ is presented with broken glass, desolation rows and the imminent danger of the chase while ‘hopeless fountain kingdom’ is more heart and human desire. Side by side, it’s a wonderful trip. Arms up, Halsey leads the way. The sheen of that big radio voice still shines (“this ones for all the rain we didn’t get”) but there’s a playful wonderment that cuts through. Art dances with indulgence and rainbow joy reigns. Halsey can’t keep her eyes off the crowd. The amazement is shared. Empowering (“this is a reminder you do not belong to anyone else but yourself”) vulnerable and with more than a sprinkle of magic, Halsey kicks the door wide open.
Make yourself at home. You belong here.
You can watch Halsey’s full set via the BBC here.
Halsey played:
Gasoline
Hold Me Down
Now or Never
Castle
Heaven in Hiding
Eyes Closed
Haunting
Strangers
Colors
Bad at Love
Closer
Hurricane