EARMILK EARMILK
  • NEW MUSIC
    • DANCE
    • ELECTRONIC
    • EXPERIMENTAL
    • HIP-HOP
    • INDIE
    • POP
    • ROCK
  • INDUSTRY NEWS
    • DOCUMENTARIES
    • EVENTS
    • FASHION
    • LIFESTYLE
    • MUSIC GEAR
    • MUSIC INDUSTRY
    • TECHNOLOGY
  • OPINION
  • ALBUM REVIEWS
  • GEAR REVIEWS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • FEATURES
    • FESTIVALS
    • EXCLUSIVES
    • LISTS
    • CONTESTS
    • Photo Journals
  • SERIES
    • Artist to Watch
    • Under The Crust
    • Flashback Friday
    • Suicide Sundaes
    • Daily 2%
    • The Club
    • Weekend Selector
    • Mashup Mondays
    • Artist Remixed
    • Wobble Wednesday
    • Night Rumours
    • Indie Sabbath
    • Straight No Chase
    • Straight From the Teet
  • Jobs
  • About EARMILK
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Music
EARMILK EARMILK
EARMILK EARMILK
  • NEW MUSIC
    • DANCE
    • ELECTRONIC
    • EXPERIMENTAL
    • HIP-HOP
    • INDIE
    • POP
    • ROCK
  • INDUSTRY NEWS
    • DOCUMENTARIES
    • EVENTS
    • FASHION
    • LIFESTYLE
    • MUSIC GEAR
    • MUSIC INDUSTRY
    • TECHNOLOGY
  • OPINION
  • ALBUM REVIEWS
  • GEAR REVIEWS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • FEATURES
    • FESTIVALS
    • EXCLUSIVES
    • LISTS
    • CONTESTS
    • Photo Journals
  • SERIES
    • Artist to Watch
    • Under The Crust
    • Flashback Friday
    • Suicide Sundaes
    • Daily 2%
    • The Club
    • Weekend Selector
    • Mashup Mondays
    • Artist Remixed
    • Wobble Wednesday
    • Night Rumours
    • Indie Sabbath
    • Straight No Chase
    • Straight From the Teet
  • Alt-Pop
  • Music Videos

Halsey is tired and angry of this "Nightmare" [Video]

  • May 20, 2019
  • Larisha Paul
Total
4
Shares
4
0

In the chorus of "Castle," the opening track of her 2015 debut album Badlands, Halsey makes a declaration punctuated by two observations: "I'm headed straight for the castle / They’ve got the Kingdom locked up / And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut." Then, on the outro of "Don't Play," from 2017's Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, another declaration is made: "Women, don't play no games." I've seen Halsey perform both of these tracks live to audiences of fans who scream each word back at her with twenty times the energy and emotion of the studio recording. 

A recent tweet of the singer's reads: "Imagine getting onstage every night and seeing young women sweating mascara tears, lightning in their eyes, throwing elbows and raising fists, screaming till the veins in their necks raise under warm skin, and not being inspired by it. This song is about you, for you." This could be an intro to either of the aforementioned songs; but, the capstone moment of any future Halsey shows will be during the moment when she performs the song this tweet actually pairs up with: her latest anthemic single "Nightmare."

"Come on, little lady, give us a smile / No, I ain't got nothin' to smile about," she says with grit during the pre-chorus, continuing, "I got no one to smile for, I waited a while for / A moment to say I don't owe you a goddamn thing," before diving into a chorus that trembles with anger. The alternative pop track bounces between lullaby-like melodies and booming rock arrangements. The production pairs well with the duality of women showcased in the track's music video. Halsey and the women she stands beside appear bleeding and battle-ready in one scene and pristine and adorned in pearls seconds later, among a number of other presentations. 

The release of "Nightmare" coincides with a time of unease amongst millions of women in the United States whose reproductive rights are being dictated by people who aren't them, a topic Halsey has briefly spoken out about on Twitter and plans to do so through a more proper medium in the future. Other lyrics in the track, such as "I've been polite, but won't be caught dead / Lettin' a man tell me what I should do with my bed" and "I'm tired and angry, but somebody should be," further amplify the elevated emotions that many of these women feel at this moment in history. 

On a number of occasions, even beyond her music, Halsey has used her platform as an artist to provide a voice for the women in her following. In 2018, she delivered an emotionally binding speech at New York's Women's March, and later that year delivered another at Glamour's Women of the Year summit. Earlier this year at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Halsey spoke about the perception of young girls' interests during her L'Oreal FanGirls Award acceptance speech.

This responsibility of representation isn't something that artists are required to take on by any means–but it is in moments like these where the importance of using large platforms to amplify marginalized voices stands out as most important. 

Connect with Halsey: Twitter | Spotify | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook 

Total
4
Shares
Share 4
Tweet 0
Share 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • Halsey
Larisha Paul

New York University student majoring in Journalism with a focus in coverage of pop music.

Previous Article
  • R&B

Leo Bhanji teams up with Donalee on sparkling "Heart Of Gold"

  • May 20, 2019
  • Paige Sims
View Article
Next Article
  • Hip-Hop
  • Music Videos
  • Rap

Rudeboy Bambino is back to business on "Black Nigo"

  • May 20, 2019
  • Sky Taylor
View Article
You May Also Like
Alex McCue & The Group Activity
View Article
  • Alt-Pop
  • Indie
  • New Music

Alex McCue & The Group Activity drops a dynamic new single, "Dialogues With God"

  • May 31, 2023
View Article
  • Indie
  • Music Videos

The Criticals hit the indie-rock scene with a splash in debut single "Clever Girl" [Video]

  • May 31, 2023
View Article
  • Afrobeats
  • Music Videos

Check out Kel-P's new visuals for "What Have You Done?" [Video]

  • May 30, 2023
View Article
  • Afrobeats
  • Music Videos

Kizz Daniel returns with the luxurious visuals for "Shu-Peru" [Video]

  • May 30, 2023
View Article
  • Alt-Pop
  • Neo-Soul

Amen Sioux returns with effortlessly cool single "Dramatic" from upcoming EP

  • May 30, 2023
View Article
  • Electronic
  • Folk
  • Indie
  • Indie Pop
  • Mainstage
  • Music Videos
  • Uncategorized

Firewoodisland are "Looking For Love" [Video]

  • May 30, 2023
View Article
  • Alternative R&B
  • Music Videos
  • Neo-Soul

Marie Dahlstrom and Sipprell show us "The Process" (feat.) [Video]

  • May 30, 2023
View Article
  • Indie
  • Music Videos
  • Pop

Roni Bar Hadas shares colourful video for her single "Troubles" [Video]

  • May 30, 2023
Popular Music
  • Aqyila
    Aqyila delivers an infectious EP 'For The Better'
    • June 1, 2023
  • Zni
    Musician ZNi drops a new anthem for "Adventure"
    • June 1, 2023
  • Citizen
    Citizen Schraider and Miko Jay unite in a captivating musical collaboration with "M Adikte"
    • June 1, 2023
  • Alex McCue & The Group Activity
    Alex McCue & The Group Activity drops a dynamic new single, "Dialogues With God"
    • May 31, 2023
  • ellakatemusic
    ellakate's haunting alt-pop single 'I'm Yours' delves into toxic love and obsession
    • May 31, 2023
Recent Scoops
  • Stevieknocks confirms Billyracxx collab album is on the way
    • April 26, 2023
  • Imagine Music Festival announces phase one lineup featuring Rezz, Chris Lake, John Summit, Dom Dolla, Slander, Dillon Francis b2b Knock2, and more
    • April 4, 2023
  • Elements Music & Arts Festival releases full 2023 lineup featuring Gorgon City, Lane 8, REZZ, Skrillex, Porter Robinson (DJ Set), Chris Lake, John Summit, and more
    • April 4, 2023
  • Heineken House returns to Coachella in full force with performances from Method Man & Redman, SG Lewis, DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak) and more
    • March 31, 2023
Community Voices
  • From Machismo To Mujeres: Women As The Face Of Reggaeton
    • July 14, 2022
  • Tyler the creator
    4 things I learned on the 'Call Me If You Get Lost' tour
    • March 31, 2022
  • 4 things every artist needs to think about in 2022
    • January 27, 2022
  • The TikTok Takeover of Hip-Hop
    • January 11, 2022

EARMILK EARMILK
  • Jobs
  • About EARMILK
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Music
All Milk. No Duds.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.