- Halsey’s new album A great imitatorwhich was released on Friday, October 25, is a meditation on mortality
- The theme is a prominent force in the 18-song record
- Here, we’ll dive into how Halsey confronts her own mortality in the LP’s lyrics
Three years since their defiant album If I can’t have love, I want powerHalsey is back with A great imitatortheir most ambitious — and most vulnerable — effort yet.
Her latest album, released Friday, Oct. 25, is an 18-song foray into the dichotomy between celebrity and people, and her quest to survive while battling a chronic illness (she revealed earlier this year that she was diagnosed with lupus SLE and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder 2022) and the possibility of death. It’s an album that blends Halsey’s penchant for sinister humor with honest moments of self-preservation, reflecting on aging parents and finding love in the midst of illness.
In the run-up to the release, Halsey, 30, emulated the artists who inspired the album’s styles – everything from Stevie Nicks to Dolly Parton to Bruce Springsteen and Kate Bush. A great imitator is Halsey’s darkest effort and also their most widespread. She plays with genre (pop-punk, experimental, hard rock, classic rock, ’90s R&B) and time in a way that reminds listeners why she’s a pop innovator at the top of her game.
Below, we’ll dive into how Halsey confronts her own mortality in the album’s lyrics.
“The Only Girl Alive in LA”
Album opener “The Only Living Girl in LA” is a wistful ballad that showcases Halsey’s dark sense of humor, but also reveals the pitfalls of fame she struggles with as her priorities have shifted when it comes to her health. “I wonder if I ever left my body (Ooh) / Do you think they’d laugh at how I died? Or take pictures of my family in the lobby / The ceremony is small inside / ‘Cause I don’t know if I could sell out my own funeral (Ah -ah) / At least not at this moment,” they ask.
“Ego”
On the ’90s grunge-meets-pop-punk single “Ego,” Halsey wrestles with their public and private personas. The pop star essentially worries that if she doesn’t keep her mental and physical health in check, it will wear her down: “I’m walking on a razor-thin edge / And I wake up tired, I think I’m better off dead.”
“Dog Years”
Inspired by PJ Harvey and evocative of Fiona Apple’s guttural vocals, the rousing and edgy “Dog Years” shows Halsey trying to maintain a sense of optimism and control in the midst of their illness. “You know a mercy killing is what I’m looking for / I didn’t ask to live, but death depends on me,” she growls.
“Letter to God (1974)”
In the first of Halsey’s decades-spanning tapestry of interludes, they recall wishing they were sick when they were kids so their parents would pay attention to them. “Please, God, I want to be sick / I don’t want to be hurt, so get it over with quickly / Please, God, I want to be loved,” they croon in the voicemail-like song.
“End”
On the scarce first offer of A great imitatorHalsey channels her frustrations with the medical system while longing for someone to love them while they’re sick. “When I met you, I said I’d never die / But the joke was always mine ’cause I’m racing against time,” she whispers on the track.
“Letter to God (1983)”
With “Letter to God (1983),” Halsey channels Bruce Springsteen in a raw plea for salvation as they ponder whether their childhood prayer of being sick has yielded results at this stage in their lives. “I’m making jokes about blood tests and planning my estate / And I don’t want to blame the kid, but I have to guess / Could this all just be an answer to those prayers that came too late,” she wonders.
“hometown”
On the country “Hometown,” Halsey evokes Dolly Parton as they reminisce about the death of a high school classmate — and how they don’t want to be just a memory: “Like the rest of my high school, all those sad suburban ghosts / Trapped in a cross by the highway while the rest of us grow old .”
“I never loved you”
In “I Never Loved You,” Halsey recounts the aftermath of the devastating accident and compares it to the abandonment they experienced during the breakup of a toxic relationship: “So now you can take the money, you can get on a plane / to a beautiful island, build a house in my name / You can donate all your money to someone who hurts you / And you can rest your head and feel no shame.”
“Darwinism”
“Darwinism” is a dark meditation on existentialism and reflects Halsey’s innate fear of dying alone. “What if I’m just cosmic dust? / Put me in a metal box that’s sure to rust / Shoot me into space and let me burn / Come back to earth and just melt into its crust / Well, I was born all alone It’s not surprising that I’ll die like that too,” she sings in a disturbing voice.
“The Life of a Spider (draft)”
In one of Halsey’s most harrowing songs, they use the spider’s death as a metaphor for being trapped in a toxic relationship with someone who can’t deal with their illness. “I’m just small, I’m just weak / And you jump when you look at me / You’ll kill me when I least expect it / God, how could I even think that I dare to exist? / Looking just like this, I’m disgusting,” she laments.
“Happy”
In Halsey’s interpolation of the 2000 Britney Spears classic, they reflect on the paradoxical nature of fame and share the loneliness they’ve experienced while privately battling the disease. Ultimately, she just wants to be seen. “When I die, I won’t have time to spend my money / But I hope you still love me,” Halsey sings with velvety vocals.
“Letter to God (1998)”
In the sparkling final act of the “letter” tapestry, Halsey’s desperate plea for survival becomes an ode to her son, Ender, facing the sick joke that her childhood wish has come true years later. “Please, God, oh, you must be sick / Why do you make it hurt, and why is it over so soon? / Please, God, I’m finally loved / I finally found someone I don’t want to get rid of,” they sing.
“The Great Imitator”
On the title track and album closer, Halsey’s playful — and dark — sense of humor resurfaces as they reflect on their legacy and how the public will remember them. “Does a story die with its teller? / Ah-ah / It’s bound to be forgotten sooner or later / Ah-ah / I hope they write my name right in the papers?” she jokes.
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Source: HIS Education