I'm already getting defensive, I know not everybody is going to like Halsey. However you can't become a superstar without having some people dislike you. In fact, if you ever wanted someone to fade into the darkness, you would probably have to feel a degree of warm apathy towards them. Imagine the artists that provoked a reaction along the lines of 'aww that's a shame' when they lost their record deal. Any way, her name is Halsey (pronounced Hall See) and she is bloody great in my opinion. She's tapping into a generation of disengaged teens by creating music that unites them and impassions them but whilst still maintaining her passive, electronic, melancholic sound. Like really chilled out protest music.
If you have no idea who I'm talking about and have some doubt in my hype, on Spotify Halsey has 86 million plays on the single which she is currently bringing to UK radio. So get a grip on the reality of how the music industry works now and get involved.
I feel so lucky because whilst in the UK for her current tour, Halsey is only conducting a handful of interviews and I managed to snag one. Y'know when your teacher at school used to announce there would be no homework after class and everyone would make the 'YESSSUH' noise? That was me when I got confirmation to speak to Halsey.
I arrived 15 minutes early and after doing a lap of the building trying to find a legitimate entrance, waited in the near empty dance floor. It had a blue tinge from the stage lights and a tonne of smoke (which I really thought they'd over egged at 1pm in the afternoon). I was about to recreate an episode of stars in their eyes but before I could, I was called up to her dressing room and my hands started to become sweaty. I've interviewed Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Ellie Goulding but I still get nervous every time. I think I love pop music so much that I'm genuinely a fan of everyone I interview.
The interview was refreshing. I decided not to take notes with me because after watching her interview with Zane Lowe, I was confident that she'd offer me so much whilst talking. It's rare to have that much confidence in someone you don't know but I was right. She was open and confident and yet allowed herself to be vulnerable. It felt so genuine when she spoke passionately about the music industry, what she wanted to achieve and how she wanted to relate to her audience. Halsey has enabled herself to avoid questions about love life, appearance or what she's wearing because easily, that is not the most exciting thing about her. The strict 15 minutes I was allowed with her was not long enough but I totally get why she appeals to her fans. She's anxious and stressed, she knows how to take a good instagram photo and she's not interested in being told how to express herself. That's the teenage way. That's the Halsey way. Their marriage is perfect.
Catch an hour special with Halsey on The Hits network (thehitsradio.com) or Freeview Channel 711 @ 6-7pm on the 1st of March.