If you aren’t as so much aware of my championing of the emerging alternative pop artist Halsey so far, here, here and here it might be advisable that you begin to take a keener note. All pointers are that this burgeoning pop tour de force is about ready to commence her assault on impacting the UK music scene in the wake of her numerous accreditations and achievements already pinned down stateside.
Whilst I don’t so by and large dip my musical ear into the melancholy alternative arena of projected earnestly confessional dark pop so much when has now become so heavily concentrated, yet when it came to Halsey I sensed a bigger picture forming around her. One of instant connection for the younger generation to relate with, in kind who gifts her listening public with a warts and all image embracing her vulnerabilities and in turn cusps insightfully and unapologetically into the trials of tribulations of exactly what it is to be as teenager/young person coming of age in the present era.
From introductory establishing a connective audience for herself worldwide through the initial release of her “Room 93” EP that went top 10 on UK itunes last year, Halsey picks up upon the next stretch in advancing her European fanbase engagement largely brought about up to now by her known candid interaction on her social media platforms. As the young singer / songwriter readies the international release of her debut album “Badlands” and duellly prepares her UK impact with the formal release of single “Hurricane” which is to be enhanced with shows at Islington Academy and KOKO in September. It seems the case already that she’s considered the next cool kid to somewhat evoke the similar demographic that hints of such highly regarded musicianship likeness to that of Lorde, Marina, Lana, and to an extent Charli XCX.
“Hurricane” taps into the same gritty realness that extends further through debut album “Badlands” of which I’ve only just learned was executively produced by Lido aka Trippy Turtle, whose showcase EQ’s Raj stumbled upon at SXSW and won our boy as an instant fan of his crazy cool mixing abilities!
Whilst on the subject of SXSW it probably shouldn’t escape your notice that is was Halsey who gained further prestige during her festival appearances and came out of it as being the most tweeted about act overall.
“Hurricane” embraces teenage exploits, challenges train of thought and sees a young girl fall for the wrong kind of guy, but in realism she’s not all she seems at face value herself. It’s all brought to light in the sonic pattered hues which are etched authentically in an evocatively trippy dream state like awareness.