On Oct 25. Halsey released their album, “The Great Impersonator,” where they drew inspiration from different eras and different icons. Halsey’s magnetic voice and brilliance will surely shine through in this album; this is a unique concept that has an exciting rollout. In the 18 days leading up to the album’s release, Halsey posted two pictures side-by-side on social media every day: one of an icon (such as Marilyn Monroe) and one of them, impersonating the icon. The descriptor for each image had the track number and name, as well as a short explanation of their decision.
There are 18 tracks in total, so for a more comprehensive review, Noa will review tracks 1-9, while Michelle will review tracks 10-18! We’re excited to see where this album takes us.
Noa’s Review:
Halsey’s fifth studio album, “The Great Impersonator,” is out on Oct 25., and I couldn’t be more excited. Halsey has shared so much of herself with us in the album rollout, and it feels special to get a new perspective on who they are and what they wish to share. I feel that I must be honest; I did stay up all night in anticipation and I don’t regret that decision one bit.
“I really thought this album might be the last one I ever made,” said Halsey in the official album trailer on YouTube. “Am I still Halsey? In every time? In every timeline? Do I still get sick? Do I still become a mom?” Halsey asks. “Am I happy? Lonely? I spent half of my life being someone else. I never stopped to ask myself, ‘If it all ended right now, is this the person you’d be proud to leave behind?’ Is it even you?’” And so I asked too (prior to listening at 12 a.m.): Will “The Great Impersonator” answer this for us?
And with that, we begin: “Only Living Girl in LA” is the first song of the 18-track album. It is over six minutes long, which I think is genuinely beautiful (petition to bring long songs back?)
“And if I ever try to leave behind my body, at least I know it was never mine…”
The song lays out not feeling like yourself; feeling like an impersonator, perhaps? Towards the end, the music becomes warped and loud, until it ends with softly sung lyrics. The track was beautiful, loud and unapologetic, and leads right into the next song.
The second song, “Ego,” feels very 1990s-inspired and invites the listener to examine the lyrics closely: “I think that I should try to kill my ego / ‘Cause if I don’t, my ego might kill me / I’m all grown up, but somehow lately / I’m acting like a fucking baby / I’m really not as happy as I seem.” sings Halsey. The lyrics dive into feeling invisible and wanting to be different than you are. “I wanna go back to the beginning / When it all felt right / A rooftop, Lower East Side / I’m singing / Didn’t give a fuck / If I was winning / It’s all done now, so who am I kidding?” These lyrics hit hard, and it feels like Halsey is trying to figure out what being herself truly means.
In “Dog Years,” Halsey sings of trying to be positive and how hard it is. They feel alone and yearn for more. “I still live, but dying’s up to me” they sing. Halsey sings about their dog as well, and of how they told him they’ll meet soon. All dogs go to heaven, says Halsey, though the lyrics seem to suggest that maybe they themself won’t. A recurring theme with this album has been asking questions that can get “uncomfortable,” so to speak. Halsey is incredible at writing songs that feel both like the crisis and its salvation.
“Letter to God (1974)” reminds me more of a voicemail — Halsey sings about someone and there’s dialogue. “Did he want to be a grownup?” they ask, and I do still wonder who “he” is.
Throughout “Panic Attack,” “The End” and “I Believe in Magic,” Halsey asks: “Is it love? Or a panic attack,” they sing of being sick of their pain, feeling like damaged goods and having poison in the brain. “When I met you, I said I would never die / But the joke was always mine.” It truly does feel like a voicemail to God, and I find myself wishing that he would answer.
Finally, the first half closes with “Hometown.” She doesn’t want to go back to their hometown. “I didn’t think that I was special, but I was too afraid to die” Halsey sings — and to me, “Hometown” wraps up the first nine songs beautifully.
Halsey is a talented, wonderful singer. And I truly feel that they will be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. I know this album was the one they thought would be their last, and I feel so lucky to be able to listen to it the way she intended. Halsey, thank you for a truly out-of-this-world album. It was tragically heartbreaking, yet felt as though there was something more in it: An aspiration to share, to exist and to bring forward a story so big and so, so great.
Rating: 5/5
Michelle’s Review:
I had the pleasure of reviewing the following nine tracks of “The Great Impersonator,” where we started with track ten: “I Never Loved You.” In one of Halsey’s more personal songs impersonating Kate Bush, Halsey opens up about their struggles in life. From relationship struggles to more of the challenging health issues they have gone through, and dealing with both at the same time. The chorus for this one hit me as the lyrics are beautifully written, and the combined melody matches perfectly. Next, we had “Darwinism,” which — to my shock — was inspired by David Bowie. There was something so magical about this song. The piano melody that opened up the song was probably one of the best parts of the whole album and gave off the Bowie vibes of the ‘70s.
Moving on, “Lonely is the Muse” — as a huge Evanescence fan — I admit I was most excited about this track impersonating Amy Lee and it did not disappoint! From the beginning, you can see the clear resemblance and inspiration of Lee. It was a bit of a transition after the last two songs, as it was rock-based, making it unique to the album. Halsey did an amazing job with this one and I will be listening to it regularly.
For the next track, “Arsonist,” Halsey impersonates Fiona Apple, and out of all the songs, this is the one that keeps playing in my head. The song itself is so unique, with Halsey combining so many different elements into just the first few seconds of it. With unique sounds coming from the piano, background voices and tone, Halsey brought out a new side of their creativity with this one, so it is probably my favorite on the album. “Life of the Spider” takes inspiration from Tori Amos, and this one was heartbreaking. The whole song itself sounds like something recorded in Halsey’s bedroom, giving it more of an emotional effect and displaying the struggles they have dealt with regarding their health.
This next Halsey impersonation is a bit surprising as Halsey is interpreting themself. (But in their “Badlands” album era). “Hurt Feelings” dives into complicated parent relationships again, showing Halsey’s more vulnerable side. The song was again — with no shock — still beautifully written. “Lucky” is one of the more controversial songs on the album. Britney Spears’ “Lucky” influenced it, and when it first came out, people criticized Halsey, claiming they were “copying” Spears. I will say that this is one of my lesser favorites only because Spears’ “Lucky” is arguably one of her best songs, making it hard to compete with and you inevitably want to compare the two songs, since they are so similar.
Track 17, “Letter to God (1998)” is a song inspired by no other than Aaliyah. Halsey has said that it is influenced by Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody,” which might be hard to understand if you listen to both at first because they sound so different. However, it shows the extent of Halsey’s creative ability, where they can take musical inspiration from other artists and make it their own. And then we end with a bang. The finale is titled “The Great Impersonator” and is inspired by Björk. If you told me this was Halsey, I am not sure I would have believed you. It not only sounded like Björk but also had similar quirky aspects.
“The Great Impersonator” is truly an amazing album release by Halsey. It was dynamic, making it perfect for everyone with various music tastes to listen to. It was personal and heartening, allowing you to connect to Halsey as an artist. Contrary to what I said about “Lucky,” it deserves a Grammy for how unusual and exceptional it was.
Rating: 5/5