Halsey returns with their fifth album The Great Impersonator this Friday, Oct. 25, after combating a recent diagnosis of lupus and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, which have sadly impacted them.
“I really thought this album might be the last one I ever made,” Halsey said. “When you get sick like that, you start thinking about ways it could’ve all been different,”
The album explores the question of whether they would be the same artist if they would have debuted in a different generation like the ‘70s, ‘80s or ’90s.
This album was created with the intention that it potentially might be Halsey’s last. Even with the recent diagnosis, they are not holding back on exploring their personal story while reflecting on their life.
Halsey invites their listeners to experience the depth of their musical journey through this introspective “confessional concept” project. Not only does this album promise the emotional storytelling of relationships and self-exploration, but it is also a cross-genre musical journey.
Singles releases from this upcoming album include Lonely is the Muse, a dark and powerful track inspired by early 2000s alternative rock, which has Halsey questioning their self worth and autonomy. And another single, Ego the angsty ‘90s hard rock inspired song where Halsey sings about the struggles of self-doubt while achieving fame. This exploration of genres provides the listeners a close look on what has influenced Halsey as they were growing up.
On Instagram, Halsey has been counting down to the album release date by teasing snippets of songs from the album that were inspired by the artists they grew up listening to. Halsey paid homage to their favorite artists, such as David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Cher, Stevie Nicks, and even Britney Spears by impersonating them in recreations of their famous photographs. All of these artists and more have been teased within their Instagram posts to showcase the widevarieties of genres that will be displayed for audiences when The Great Impersonator drops Friday.
