If it was that my surname happened to be Frangipane I think I’d stick to it no matter what, if for its sheer yumminess factor alone, but not so for upcoming New Jersey pop starlet Halsey, since being formerly known by her real name of Ashley Frangipane she had a change of heart and played a round of scrabble with her name, re-inventing herself by form of anagram to that of Halsey.
Newly reborn as Halsey and channelling an alternative pop vibe, that rings through on a Charli XCX / Marina pop demographic of play. To date Halsey shows two tracks to her name that of the esoterically gleaming “Ghost” now joined with the new track addition of “New Americana”.
Compounded with a soundscape dealt of hauntingly giving melody, 19 year Halsey curates a vocal line which evokes equal parts of Lauren Mayberry to that hinted of Lorde, and that let me tell you make us (me) very excited indeed!
As does the tag line of the chorus: “We are the new Americana, high on legal marijuana, raised on Biggie and Nirvana” with a further lyric sharing “What kind of bubblegum have you been blowing with me?”, which given both’s questionably raising content will no doubt be peeling its way out through the blogosphere in double quick time.
Sublimely engaging and at the same time hauntingly addictive “New Americana” deals out everything on point, and recognises the whole enchilada that I look for in a top notch alternative pop song.