Halsey — Badlands Album Review

Badlands is Halsey’s first album, but she’s already cemented herself as one of the most prominent figures in alt-pop due to her social media accounts.

Track 6 on Halsey’s debut album, Badlands, is called “Colors,” and while this may be the only song on the album that is actually about colors (or at least it is metaphorically), each individual song on the album is just as colorful. The 20 year old rising alt-pop princess tells her stories in fast paced, vivid songs that come to life with imagery and relatability. Love, loss, and even today’s generation of youths inspire her music- “We are the New Americana,” she sings, “high on legal marijuana.” But don’t let the apparent simplicity of the lyrics fool you- her songs are fueled with political commentary and progressive views. Better cuts exist, however, when her lyricism is more complex. “Colors” is an example of this, as Halsey croons the tale of a lover, represented by the color Red, who was unsatisfied when Halsey, represented by Blue, became Purple after she met him and was changed by him. Halsey also knows exactly what kind of sound she wants; electric, vibrant, pop, and alternative are all terms that can accurately describe her record. Not every song hits right on target, but at the end of the day, each song on the album is a different color, and Badlands is Halsey’s masterpiece.

Ghost is Halsey’s most well known single to date.

Grade: B

Best Songs: Colors, Haunted, Ghost