Article: Halsey - New Americana (Single Cover).jpg
Badlands Digital download Ashley Frangipane "Ghost"(2014) "Colors"(2016)
"New Americana" is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey taken from her debut studio album, Badlands (2015). It was written by Halsey, Larzz Principato, and Kalkutta, while production was handled by Lido. Described as an electropop and alternative pop song, "New Americana" describes the normalization of aspects of counterculture in the United States, including recreational marijuana use and same-sex marriage. The song was released on July 10, 2015, as the second single from the album.
Composition
"New Americana" is an electropop and midtempo alternative pop song. According to the digital sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., the song is composed in the key of E major with an approximate tempo of 87 BPM and a vocal range of B-C. The track also contains an interpolation of "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume. Halsey's voice is layered on the chorus, which was inspired by Pink Floyd's similarly-themed hit, "Another Brick in the Wall".
Critical reception
"New Americana" received unanimous acclaim from critics, praising the timely message and emersion of progressive appeal to the mainstream. Many praised Halsey's vocal ability's and her distinct jaw vibrato, which has now become a signature attribute of her's. The song received a warm reception from radio programmers, with D.J. Zane Lowe of Apple Beats Music saying of Halsey that "there's a new icon there", and that the song was "big". It has been labelled by critics, including Billboard, USA Today, and The New York Times, as a "generational anthem" for millennials.
The single was not without criticism though, Nathan Reese of Pitchfork was unconvinced by the song's lyrics, describing the song as "plasticky" and superficial where it aimed to be inspirational. He concluded reviewing the chorus, finding it "calculated, defiant, and, ultimately, hollow."
I’m getting a lot of really rude messages right now from people saying that I’m fucked up and that I swerved you and I’m being rude and I’m being mean. Not for nothing, but I’ve been in press since 8 o’clock in the morning. I have a whole day of interviews to do. I’m still doing them. I would never just walk by you and not meet you. To abuse me like that online is kind of fucked up. I have a lot more interviews to do and I promise I’m going to meet people. But please don’t be mean to me. I have a very busy day too, okay? It really makes me upset. Please don’t be mean to me.
Music video
On September 25, 2015, the official video premiered on MTV, and was posted on Halsey's Vevo and YouTube accounts shortly after. The video's dystopian setting has been compared to that of The Hunger Games series. The music video featured a single version of "New Americana" in which included different background vocals, a short instrumental before the bridge, and different mixing.
Synopsis
The video opens with an intro of mountain scenery recorded in VHS style with a voice-over of Halsey stating "We were a community. They made me their leader even when I never asked to be. But the lightning in their eyes heralded me to whatever they needed me to become. We were hopeful we would win because nothing could scare us. We feared no city and we feared no man." As the song begins to play, Halsey is then showed joining and being captive with a group of Americans doing unexceptional things. They are then barged in by troops who line them up and take Halsey as hostage since she is presumably the leader of the Americans. She is then dragged to a village where she is tied up to a bonfire. While being poured over with gasoline, Halsey pleas for help but no one responds until immediately before being lit up, when she is then rescued by the Americans. After escaping the troops, Halsey and the Americans are then shown heading out of the forest and running away from the village. The video ends with an instrumental of "Drive" featuring Halsey lying on the ground somewhere similar to the mountains as seen on the opening of the video with a backdrop of a city covered in mist. She is seen wearing a white dystopian outfit and left with nothing but car keys and a radio which she then reaches out to and tries to unravel.
Live performances
In August 2015, Halsey performed "New Americana" at Jimmy Kimmel Live! and again in October 2015 at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Charts
Chart (2015–16) Peakposition Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 36 Canada Rock (Billboard) 31 New Zealand Heatseekers (Recorded Music NZ) 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 184
Certifications
Since May 2013 RIAA certifications for digital singles include on-demand audio and/or video song streams in addition to downloads.
Release history
Region Date Format Label United States July 10, 2015 Digital download Astralwerks July 20, 2015 Modern rock radio September 21, 2015 Adult album alternative radio United Kingdom February 1, 2016 Contemporary hit radio Astralwerks
References |
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Halsey quits Twitter over abuse and fans have been reacting
Published 3 April 2016 Share close panel Share page Copy link About sharing Image source, Getty Images
Halsey has quit Twitter.
The 21-year-old has gained hundreds of thousands of followers since she began making music in her bedroom and putting it up on YouTube.
In the last year
she's released her first album
, Badlands and performed on tour.
But now it looks like she's deactivated her account over online abuse.
Tweet from a fan showing Halsey's deactivated twitter "this is really sad 😞 not the biggest fan but I like and respect Halsey, she works hard & stays true to herself"
Tweet fro Halsey Updates - I think it's good that's she's taking a break from social media because all she gets is hate for the dumbest reasons. I hope she's well
Halsey was trending for hours as fans reacted to the news.
Tweet from a fan which reads @halsey helped me get through my dad passing and helps me to stay strong everyday, i owe this girl everything #WeAlwaysLoveYouHalsey
fan tweet reads i think its a good time to bring this back ; i told halsey to write ANYTHING she wanted for me & she wrote this okay - the note on the picture from halsey says "I will love you always when you feel like nobody else does"
Tweet - i hope halsey is okay. social media is weird and it gets inside your head and it's hard not to take on the weight of what people say
Halsey, whose real name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, has spoken in the past of being bisexual and having bipolar disorder.
Speaking to Elle
last year she said: "I kind of just embraced the things about me that were a little odd.
"The thing about having bipolar disorder, for me, is that I'm really empathetic. I feel everything around me so much."
There was some confusion when she appeared to reactivate her account, but then it went again.
Tweet - halsey reactivated earlier why is she gone again
Last month she hit back at fans outside the BBC: "I'm getting a lot of online messages from you right now saying I've swerved you and I'm being rude and I'm being mean.
"I've been in press since eight in the morning, I have a whole day of interviews to do and I'm still doing them, I would never just walk away and not meet you."
"I have a lot more interviews to do and I promise I'm going to meet people but please don't be mean to me.
"I have a very busy day too, OK, please don't be mean to me."
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