Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, known in the music industry as Halsey, released her third studio album, “Manic,” on Jan. 17. The 16-track album retains Halsey’s signature melancholy melodies and indie style of singing that is reminiscent of finding freedom in a rainstorm.
The album includes the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, “Without Me,” released Oct. 4, 2018. “Without Me” hits listeners differently than the rest of the album, receiving critical praise, and rightfully so. While it takes on a more traditional pop beat, it remains emotionally driven by Halsey’s powerful vocals. It also includes a clever interpolation of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River,” who is credited as a co-writer of the song. Halsey has performed the song on “The Voice,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Saturday Night Live,” among others.
There is a nearly elegiac quality to the opening songs on the album. Lyrics from the second track, “Clementine,” are not only poetic but also emotionally complex as Halsey gently reminisces, “I don’t need anyone / I just need everyone and then some / My face is full of spiderwebs, all tender, yellow, blue.”
As a fan of Halsey’s hits from 2015 like “Castle” and “New Americana,” my personal favorites were “Graveyard” and “Without Me,” which had a faster beat you could dance to. However, the meaning behind each song is just as impactful. “Finally // Beautiful Stranger” is an irresistible love letter to optimism, hope and that inexplicable moment of bliss one experiences in a strange romance. Although its sound varies from the previous tracks, Halsey belts the country-tinged song with heartbreaking certainty.
“Manic” is reflective and introspective. Listeners journey through Halsey’s quest for understanding and acceptance with her, even as she acknowledges her mistakes in the seventh track, “I Hate Everybody,” with the lyrics, “I know I’ve got a tendency to exaggerate what I’m seeing / And I know that it’s unfair of me to make a memory out of a feeling.”
Even amongst the darker songs, like “Killing Boys,” which opens with whispery dialogue between Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox from the 2009 horror-comedy “Jennifer’s Body,” Halsey continues to showcase her talent in crafting strong and commanding lyrics.
The compilation of “Manic” encompasses some of the most relatable aspects of being human. Longing for companionship, ending relationships and embracing self-love—themes that are significant and present in society today—can be explored through Halsey’s self-reflective and experimental music.
Perhaps the most satisfying part of listening to “Manic” is Halsey’s ability to tell stories, ones that both longtime fans and new ones can lose themselves in. Halsey’s attention to the reality of being a young adult today reaches the parts of us that are flawed and chaotic, yet her music advocates that these traits are exactly what makes us so wonderful.
