Halsey

Halsey is the stage name (also, an anagram) for Ashley Frangipane, a singer-songwriter whose contemporary pop comes with a a rock accent and some shades of R&B. Whether they are uptempo, rousing bangers or quieter ballads, their songs often carry an emotional heft. Their first album, 2015's Badland, follows in the trail laid out previously by Lorde in crafting intimate songs with big hooks. That more or less became the blueprint for Halsey's subsequent work as they gradually crossed over to a much bigger scale of pop intended for larger stages. That said, their music has been grounded in powerful and resonant songwriting paired with an honest and earnest delivery across that gradual transformation.