Here is our staff review of Halsey’s new album “Manic” that was released Jan. 17, 2020. Each staff member was given a different song to listen to, so not every track is covered.

Lauren Curtis- “You should be sad”
Although I was completely expecting a different song from the title, after listening to the song, I can actually say I enjoyed it. I find the beat really easy to move to, and the lyrics are definitely something every girl can relate to. It is an amazing song for breakups because she talks about how she’s glad they’re not together anymore. I can imagine every girl that just got out of a relationship screaming this at the top of their lungs. I could actually listen to this song on repeat, and that’s weird for me because I really only listen to country. It sends a good message while maintaining this fun and upbeat song. I highly recommend this song! It is a good song to just even listen to while driving around town.

Erin Green- “killing boys”
I had a lot of mixed emotions before listening to this song because in middle school I used to be a big Halsey fan, but in the past few years, I haven’t really listened to much of her work. But I’m not mad at it. I like the song’s title a lot and found a lot of its lyrics to be clever and witty. It starts out with a snippet from the horror movie “Jennifer’s Body” which adds to the eerie and violent vibe she seems to be going for. The song is pretty much about being mad at a guy who sucks, and I think we’ve all been there before. Although I don’t really imagine myself playing it on repeat, it inspires me to check out the rest of her album. All in all, this is a pretty good song that I enjoyed more than our previous reviews.

Isabella McAllister- “3am”
“3am” by Halsey gives me some Avril Lavinge/early 2000s vibes. Overall it was a really good song and easy to understand. It is an upbeat song, so you don’t get the impression that it is actually pretty sad. At 3 am, most people feel alone, which is exactly what Halsey is putting off. In the song, she is wanting to find herself but is really insecure, and in order to make herself feel better, she seeks attention from others. “My insecurities are hurting’ me, someone please come and flirt with me,” just shows how lonely she is feeling. Honestly, pretty deep stuff. It kind of shows what a lot of girls feel/act even when they feel insecure. Another big part of the song is how often she feels that she is “too much” to handle for a person, which is an often relatable thing for most people. Also randomly John Mayer makes an appearance with a phone call in the end, which in my opinion doesn’t have much to do with the whole song.

Julia Alley – “clementine”
“Clementine” by Halsey is full of opposites and a clash within herself. Parts of the song are soft and sad yet composed. Sort of a disappointed acceptance of what her life is like. On the other hand, there’s parts where she’s yelling out the lyrics in the background. Despite that she’s yelling the voice does not appear to be any louder than her more controlled voice. For me it feels like there’s a clash of complacency and frustration and she doesn’t really know how she’s supposed to feel. The lyrics themselves feel to me like someone realizing how dependent they are on those around them when they’re suddenly by themselves. She repeats several times, “I don’t need anyone, I just need everyone and then some.” This feels a bit like she’s tryin to lie to herself to help with the lack of anyone to hinge to, but she knows that she relies on people too much. I actaully really enjoyed this song which suprised me. I haven’t listened to Halsey since the early stages of my emo phase in sixth grade. Mabe that skewed my interpretation of the song, but still, it’s a nice song. Something that you could absolutely cry to.

Cade Campbell– “Ashley”
Haley’s “Ashley” reminds me comfortably of some of Post Malone’s work. Despite the other song titles in the Album, it’s obvious this song is the most inspired by emo music. It’s meant to be a sad song (which we have a lot of today), but it forks up onto a different path than sad songs generally use. Rather than talking about a lover or a heartbreak––which is what is usually sung about––Halsey expresses the stress and hardships that making certain choices creates in life. The beat is actually quite relaxing, but not relaxing enough to be soothing because it’s supposed to be sad. The way her voice is modified adds to the effect by making the song seem a little darker, which is needed because the beat is on the verge of being happy or comfortable, but not quite there due to a few instruments used. Ashley is Halsey’s real name and it’s obvious that the song is about her choices in music and the effect it would have on people if she stopped making music. I think the song itself is actually pretty good and the concept, the theme, is freshly unique, but, unfortunately, the song has the effect of feeling “overused” pretty quickly. It’s one of my favorites in her new album, “Manic”.

Maxie Eller- “Still Learning”
I really didn’t have any expectations when I started listening to “Still Learning” by Halsey. I’m not a big Halsey fan and I don’t listen to her music, so I was curious to review this song. I was pleasantly surprised by “Still Learning”. The song started out pretty sad as Halsey shared feelings of being alone in the world and no one understanding the real her, but gradually evolved into a hopeful message about learning to love yourself and trying to right the things that you have done wrong. I feel like most people can relate to the themes of redemption and being comfortable in your own skin. I know that I certainly can. It’s hard to capture those emotions into a three-minute song, but Halsey really nailed it. The beat is catchy and her voice really makes an impact. I would definitely listen to this song again and I highly recommend it to listen to!

Sarah Haylow- “Graveyard”
I really enjoyed this song. I am proud to say that this is the one song out of all the ones we have reviewed that I actually don’t completely hate. I love it in fact. The beat is poppy and electro with a good mix of autotune. The song very clearly encapsulates Halsey’s style and voice, which makes the song feel natural coming out of her mouth. Halsey is good at making songs that deal with tough subjects and making them impactful. The song is about a person in an unhealthy and toxic relationship being so blindsided by love that they don’t even recognize/ care that the relationship they’re in is bad. She keeps chasing a person farther and farther down to the “Graveyard” in a desperate attempt to keep the relationship going. She is so wrapped up and desperate to stay in this relationship that she’s tricking herself into thinking that her relationship is normal: “Oh, it’s funny how the warning signs can feel like they’re butterflies”. Overall I think the song is a good representation of what it’s like to be in a toxic relationship and why it’s important for the listener to reevaluate their relationship and decide if it’s a healthy one.

Liam Smith- “I HATE EVERYBODY”
When reading the title “I HATE EVERYBODY”, I could only assume I was in for the worst. Luckily, the moment the song starts, my doubts were plesently washed away. “I HATE EVERYBODY” somehow manages to create a joyful tone, while the lyrics keep you grounded in the reality of Halsey’s struggle with love. The beat is satisfying, and doesn’t steal too much of the show. Halsey’s performance here really proves her talent to sing with emotion. You get a good sense of how she felt when writing this, and even the tone and message she’s trying to send. Even the hook “I hate everybody” is a good atestment to the emotion behind the song. Weird to say given my initial thoughts. Overall I’d say this song definitely puts Halsey on the map for me, and I reccomend giving it a listen. Title could use some work though.