I've been
big into music since forever, but I don't think I really appreciated it until I
joined band in 5th grade. Since then, it has been something that has taken over
my life, in a good way of course. Not only do I appreciate music more, but I
understand the meaning behind it and can pick out what is good and what is
maybe not so good. All music is different and everyone has a taste for
something different. However, this will be a peek at what I have really fallen
in love with lately and why.
Halsey's
album, BADLANDS is an album I am actually very surprised that I came across and
liked. I was a fan of one of her songs and that was about it for awhile. I
ended up listening to the whole album by accident and I am so happy I did
because this has become one of my new obsessions that I keep on repeat. Halsey
is a new artist that people may know from collaborating with Justin Bieber for
one of his songs on his Purpose album. She then released her own album shortly
after and she is predicted to be the next big thing in 2016.
To give you a
background on the album, the concept focuses on a fictional dystopian society
which she calls the Badlands. After listening to the album countless amounts of
time, and researching the song lyrics, you can tell that this album is more
than just music. It has so much meaning behind it and relates directly to
Halsey's life. When you pick apart the songs, you can see she is open about her
mental state; she has openly stated that she has bipolar disorder and you can
tell that she refers to herself in her songs quite a bit. The album becomes a
metaphor for what goes on in her head and is her escape from life's struggles.
And that itself shows why this album is so good; it is raw emotion, you can't
get any more real than that.
So what is
this metaphor exactly? When you look up the definition of a badland, it is,
"a region marked by intricate erosional sculpturing, scanty vegetation,
and fantastically formed hills —usually used in plural." So when
we connect this definition to Halsey's album focusing on a
dystopian society we can imagine that this is where the people
of this society live. The city is basically surrounded by
a desert wasteland, keeping the members of this society captive in
the badlands. And this is what Halsey likes to compare her mind
to. She feels trapped. And even if there is no where to go, you can
still find optimism and a mental escape, which she does through her
music.
Halsey's
music falls under the electropop genre and it is a little bit different
than what you would hear on the radio these days. So if you are looking
for something new and different, this could be the album for you. Her song
lyrics are very straight forward and honest. She is not afraid to put
herself out there and is not afraid to hold anything back. The music
itself follows a basic music structure and is pretty easy to follow. Of course
you can listen for your own enjoyment, but this is also good because if
you like to analyze things and find deeper meanings, then this is the
album for you. The other meanings are not too deep where its hard to find, but
it does open your brain up to wonder what she is eluding to and how she felt
when she wrote these songs.
I am also a
huge fan of her voice itself. I think it is very enjoyable to listen to
and it is almost calming. But, even with the calming effect, she still has
the power in her voice to get a certain feeling across when you get the more
emotional songs. I really enjoy listening to her sing. This album
is definitely worth listening to and I look forward to seeing where
Halsey goes next with her music career.
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