I had just turned 14 years old when Halsey dropped her album "Badlands" and wasn't in love with the music until October of that year.
But nonetheless, I fell in love with the sound of Halsey's voice and the lyrics of every song were so different from what I was listening to before... like One Direction. (I lived by One Direction and still do but we aren't here to discuss that).
So, high school me started following Halsey and fell in love with all of her music from "Empty Gold" to "Control," which gives me mad Anakin Skywalker in "Revenge of the Sith" vibes and nothing will ever change that.
For the next three years, I sat and waited for a new album or song, and one day (out of the blue) it happened. OK, it wasn't completely out of the blue, but it happened in the summer of 2017.
"Hopeless Fountain Kingdom" arrived, and I listened to it non-stop for days. Released on the same day as "Last Young Renegade" from All Time Low, "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom" stole my heart and my money.
The album itself was written around Romeo and Juliet, and its overall idea of star crossed lovers who would do anything to be with each other - but set in a dystopian future.
The songs "Now or Never" and "Bad at Love" took over the radio while I cried in the shower to the underrated bops such as "Hopeless" and "Sorry". But we aren't here to talk about that album... we're here for her newest album and why it's the best yet. So there I was the day "Manic" dropped, listening to Harry Styles like always when I realized there was new music.
"Manic" has 16 tracks and every song is different, so let's break it up and go track by track.
1. "Ashley"
This track is titled with Halsey's actual name and kicks off the album. It's a slower song that carries strong emotions. Right off the bat, you can tell it's going to be more personal and raw and real compared to the first two albums.
This is the first track on the album to sample dialogue from one of Halsey's favorite movies. The track features a bit of dialogue from the movie "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Rating: 8 /10 - If you're really sad or in your feels, this is the song for you.
2. "Clementine"
The next track on the album is "Clementine." This track is a bit slower, and like the rest of the album, has some raw emotion behind it. The song is full of callbacks to previous songs such as "Colors" and "Strangers," as well as calls to different albums.
The song also includes a poem that was written by Halsey herself that she tweeted months prior to the release of the album. Rating: 8/10 - Yet another bop for when you're in your feels, maybe even a crying-in-the-shower song.
3. "Graveyard"
Graveyard was a single for the album released in September, following her previous self-empowering, girl anthem "Nightmare," which was released in May of 2019.
The songs tells the idea of being in love with someone who's not only a danger to themselves but also the people around them. It dives into the idea of when you're so in love with someone that you don't realize you're being dragged into the bad things, too. This song was on the Billboard 100, and it is still being played on the radio. Rating: 10/10 -It's a solid bop.
4. "You Should Be Sad"
The next single off the album was released a week before the whole album. The song throws gabs at her past relationships and some of the thoughts that come after realizing you were in a toxic relationship. When I first heard the song, I immediately thought it was a full track for G-Eazy again, which I'm not wrong.
However, it could also be alluding to other relationships that she has experienced, but let's be real, we all thought it was about G-Eazy. Rating: 10/10 - If you're fresh out of a toxic and bad relationship then blare this, as well as "Hot Girl Bummer" by Black-Bear and "Gotta Go My Own Way" from "High School Musical 2," and you're living the post-relationship life, my friend.
A bit of a shorter song but it's pretty intimate and paints the story of her looking for love, for someone to truly love her and help fix her. It ties back to multiple songs on this album and from previous albums. Rating: 7/10 - It's a cute, little song that has chill vibes with deeper meaning lyrics.
6. "Dominic's Interlude"
This track connects to the previous track and is also shorter. The two flow together perfectly, and it's just magic, let's be real. The track is solid and chill and pretty cute. Rating: 9/10 - It gives straight AJR vibes, which I appreciate.
7. "I HATE EVERYBODY"
Me too, Halsey, me too. Just kidding... The last of the three tracks that flow perfectly together. This song flows so perfectly with the track before that I often find myself thinking I'm still listening to the song before it.
The song talks about how being in a relationship would make her hate people and herself less, but at the same time, she just strongly dislikes putting herself out there after being hurt so much. Rating: 10/10 - I vibe with this song, and it has a call back to a song on the previous album.
8. "3am"
This song starts so strong and has such good rock vibes behind it. You can dance around your room to this song. It has the lyrical themes of what alcohol does to you, making you doubt yourself and destroy your mental state.
"3am" is also known as the witching hour, involving spirits and demons, something Halsey called to in her album "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom" on the track "Devil in Me". The clip at the end of the song is a voicemail left by John Mayer, talking about the next track on the album which was one of the biggest hits for Halsey, predicting its success. Rating: 11/10 - It's a fire song; definitely my favorite.
9. "Without Me"
We know this song is 100000000% about G-Eazy. This track was released way before the album, following the breakup between G-Eazy and Halsey.
The song discusses the idea of taking someone and fixing them, of being in love with them no matter what, even if the person is cheating on you without your knowledge. The track is almost a song that screams "I'm better off without you!" But yet, it's an empowering track.
G-Eazy deserved to have this written about him - why did you hurt her, dude? She loved you. This song was also so popular that Halsey was even featured on the track "Die For Me" by Post Malone on his newest album "Hollywood's Bleeding."
On that track, Halsey acknowledges that she called her ex out, and that it helped her gain popularity. She also shares how successful the track was even though it was, as she calls it in the song, "a breakup note." Rating: 15/10 - Listen, this song is just too good honestly.
10. "Finally // Beautiful Stranger"
This track is super adorable, let's be real. It's Halsey's first real love song full of emotion that's real and powerful. It talks about falling in love and the feelings associated with it. Rating: 10/10 - it's just super cute, and I love it.
11. "Alanis' Interlude"
This is another short song that bridges a gap between the next so that they flow. This track features Alanis Morissette. It explores Halsey's bisexuality and being in a relationship with a woman. Rating: 7/10Â - This song is pretty solid, just not my favorite, but it has a great sound and vibe.
12. "Killing Boys"
This track samples dialogue from another one of Halsey's favorite movies, "Jennifer's Body." If you've never seen that movie, let me sum it up for you - Megan Fox gets possessed and murders people while her friend tries to stop her.
It's honestly a bad 2000s horror movie but Panic! at the Disco and All Time Low released songs for the soundtrack, so it's OK. You know that one iconic image of Megan Fox burning her tongue with a lighter?
Yeah... that scene is from this movie. OK, back on track now - this song is fun and fresh and about seeking revenge after a breakup. The whole concept of revenge and breaking in gives me Paper Towns vibes. The beat is good, and it's an all-around good song. Rating: 10/10 - I would recommend, goes with the post-breakup songs I mentioned earlier.
13. "SUGA's Interlude"
This is another interlude with another artist. It's a K-Pop star, and I honestly don't get the K-Pop trend, so it just doesn't vibe with me, but it's a good song. Rating: 6/10 - I have no idea what's happening lyrically, but it's a good track.
14. "More"
This track hits you in your feels. It's soft and has a good melody with some powerful and raw lyrics. The track discusses Halsey going through countless doctor's appointments for her endometriosis, wanting more in her life, a child of her own.
The track paints the struggle of trying to have a child and failing. This song is a tear-jerker, but it is beautiful and raw, so I definitely commend Halsey for writing and sharing such a personal experience. Rating: 9/10 - Halsey, please stop playing with my feelings.
15. "Still Learning"
This track is another slower one that could possibly lead you to crying in the shower, but it's still beautiful. It's all about how, even with her fame and success, Halsey still struggles to love herself.
It's just as raw and powerful and beautiful as the song before it, and it's definitely a track that I relate to, making it one of my personal favorites. Rating: 10/10 - Looking forward to crying in the shower to this song.
16. "929"
Titled after her birthday, "929" is basically a song about all of Halsey's life. It talks about her fans, family, thoughts, faults, and flaws. Rating: 8/10 - It's beautifully raw and a good song to end the album on.
So, in conclusion, this album will make you cry, but it's beautiful and raw and perfect.
