Millennial Pop - Halsey

Surrounded by fellow young people, this show once again had a different feel than the other shows we've had so far. While I was probably older than a lot of the mostly female audience at the show, I'm glad that the younger folk were getting their own show at Wolf Trap. In many ways, Halsey is emblematic of my generation and for many people, she is seen as an emblem of unique style and identity. Born Ashley Frangipane, Halsey first gained popularity on sites such as Youtube and Soundcloud where she posted her early covers and original songs. She performed acoustic shows around her home in New York City and released her debut album, Badlands, in 2015. It performed well on the charts and she was featured in the Calvin Harris song "Closer" which became a #1 record. She promoted the album and song by opening for bigger acts such as the Weekend and Imagine Dragons as well as going on tour herself in 2016. Her 2nd album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, was released in 2017 and features hit singles "Bad in Love" and "Now or Never". The album is a concept album based on the story of Romeo and Juliet and all the songs are written or co written by Halsey.  It hit #1 in the US charts and she has continued to build her popularity with this current world tour. Outside of the stage, she is seen as a fashion icon and as an activist for mental illness and suicide prevention. Perhaps just below the bar of worldwide stars, Halsey is nevertheless only 23 and in the early stage of a promising and successful career.

While I didn't really expect to like her music, I was pleasantly surprised by this show. Her opener was Jessie Reyes who has songwriting talent but lacks an appropriate stage presence or a solidified voice. Halsey had probably the most ornate stage sets I've seen at our theater and it featured pyrotechnics, hydrotechnics and dazzling light displays. Halsey herself is a gifted singer and performer and despite the lack of actual instruments on stage (electronic drums don't count), her set had a big sound and her songs really came to life. She wasn't afraid to get emotional on stage and I credit her with opening herself on stage to an audience of 7000 screaming people. The music itself is good but it's simply hard to differentiate the myriad of female pop artists these days. At her best though, Halsey induced a more personal touch to her numbers and that intimate quality is something I think is missing from uch of music these days. It's strange seeing someone my age already having so much fame and success but if it helps erase the unfair stereotypes on my generation, I'm all for it!

My favorite part of the show was when she sang a piano version of "Closer". I always thought it was a great song that deserved a less embellished treatment than the original recording and Halsey sang it with a quiet thoughtfulness and emotion. Great exemplification of her as an artist!

Looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Halsey

Jessie Reyes