Halsey: The Life Story Behind the Pop Star

Growing Up in New Jersey and a Restless Youth

Ashley Nicolette Frangipane was born on September 29, 1994, in Edison, New Jersey, and was raised in a family that moved frequently, living in various towns across New Jersey, as her parents, Chris Frangipane, a car dealer, and Nicole, a hospital worker, struggled to make ends meet, and as the family faced financial difficulties, evictions, and the instability that comes with poverty. She has spoken about her childhood with honesty, about the moves, about the schools, about the feeling of never quite belonging, and about the way those experiences shaped her, taught her to adapt, to be resilient, and to find her place in the world through music, through art, and through the internet, where she found a community, a voice, and a sense of belonging that she did not find in the real world. She was a girl who loved to write, who loved to sing, and who was, by her own account, a troubled teenager, struggling with mental health, with bipolar disorder, which she was diagnosed with at seventeen, and with the challenges of growing up in a world that did not understand her, and that often made her feel like an outsider.

She attended community college, where she studied creative writing, and she began to post music on social media, on Tumblr and on SoundCloud, under the name Halsey, a name that is an anagram of her first name, Ashley, and a reference to Halsey Street in Brooklyn, a place that was significant to her, and a name that captured the identity she was creating, a persona that was distinct from who she was as Ashley, and that allowed her to tell stories, to explore themes, and to be an artist, in a way that her real name, her real life, did not allow. She has spoken about the name change as a necessary step, about the need to create a persona, a world, and a sound, that were distinct, and that allowed her to be herself, fully and unapologetically, even when that self was complicated, contradictory, and constantly changing. She was a young woman with a laptop, with a dream, and with a voice that was both melodic and raw, and she was about to share it with the world, through the internet, through social media, and through the fans who would discover her online.

Her early life was also shaped by her experiences with mental health, with bipolar disorder, and with the hospitalisations, the medications, and the struggles that came with it, experiences that she has spoken about openly, with a honesty that is rare, and that has made her a voice for mental health awareness, for young people who struggle with similar issues, and for the importance of talking about mental health, of seeking help, and of not being ashamed of it. She has said that music was a form of therapy, a way to process her feelings, to understand herself, and to connect with others who felt the same way, and that the internet, particularly Tumblr, was a place where she found a community, a group of people who understood her, who supported her, and who encouraged her to keep making music, even when the world did not understand her, even when it was difficult, and even when she wanted to give up. That community, that support, was the foundation of her career, and it is a part of her story that is both inspiring and heartbreaking, a reminder that behind every great artist is a person who struggled, who survived, and who turned that struggle into art.

Tumblr, Ghost, and the Internet Breakthrough

Ghost was not supposed to be a breakthrough; it was just a song Halsey posted on SoundCloud in 2014, recorded in a bedroom, shared with a small audience of people who had found her through Tumblr. But the track had something: a moody, electronic sound, a voice that was both fragile and fierce, and lyrics that felt like they had been written in a diary and then set to music. It spread the way things spread online, from one listener to another, until Astralwerks, a record label, came calling with a deal. The Room 93 EP followed, and then the debut album Badlands in 2015, a concept record about a dystopian city that gave Halsey a world to build and a story to tell. What made the rise remarkable was how much of it happened without traditional radio or television: Halsey was an internet artist first, a pop star second, and the fans who found her on Tumblr and SoundCloud were the ones who carried her to the charts.

Her debut studio album, Badlands, was released in 2015, and it pleased audiences and reviewers alike, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200, and featuring the hits Colors, New Americana, and Gasoline, and it established Halsey as a major star, a voice for a generation of young people who recognised themselves in her lyrics, in her stories about mental health, about love, about identity, and about the search for belonging, in a world that often feels hostile, confusing, and overwhelming. The album’s title, Badlands, is a reference to the barren, desolate landscape, and to the idea of a place that is both beautiful and dangerous, and that theme, of a wasteland, of a place where you have to survive, runs through every song, making the album not just a collection of hits, but a coherent work, a story, and a statement, about what it means to be young, to be different, and to be trying to find your way, in a world that does not always make sense. The album was praised by critics, it was loved by fans, and it made Halsey one of the most talked-about artists in music, a star who had arrived, through the internet, and who was here to stay.

The album’s success was also due to Halsey’s ability to connect with her audience, to speak directly to them, through social media, through her music, and through her performances, in a way that was honest, that was vulnerable, and that was real. She was not a distant pop star; she was a person who talked to her fans, who shared her struggles, who answered their messages, and who made them feel as though they were a part of her journey, not just observers of it. That connection, that intimacy, was a major part of her appeal, and it is a sign of a new kind of stardom, a democratic kind, where the artist and the audience are in conversation, where the fans are not just consumers, but participants, and where the music is a shared experience, a community, and a movement. Halsey understood that, because she had been a fan herself, on Tumblr, on the internet, and she knew what it meant to find an artist who spoke to you, who understood you, and who made you feel less alone.

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, Without Me, and Superstardom

Halsey’s second studio album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, was released in 2017, and it was a concept album, inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, telling the story of two lovers, Luna and Solis, in a dystopian world, and it topped the Billboard 200 on release, becoming her first number one album, and featuring the hits Now or Never, Bad at Love, and Alone, featuring Big Sean and Stevie Wonder. The album was a commercial and critical success, and it established Halsey as a major pop star, a person who could make a concept album, who could tell a story, and who could do it with a ambition, a creativity, and a vision that were rare in pop music. She followed Hopeless Fountain Kingdom with a series of collaborations, including Closer, with The Chainsmokers, in 2016, a song that topped the charts for weeks on end, reaching number one, and becoming a cultural phenomenon, and that introduced Halsey to a wider audience, to people who had not heard her before, and who fell in love with her voice, her style, and her personality.

In 2018, Halsey released Without Me, a single that became her biggest hit, reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and becoming one of the most successful songs of the year. Without Me, a song about a toxic relationship, about giving everything to someone who does not appreciate it, and about the pain of realising that you are better off without them, resonated with millions of people, especially young women, who found their own feelings in its lines, in its story, and in its emotion. The song’s triumph, its chart performance, and the love it earned from listeners, all point to Halsey’s talent as a songwriter, her ability to write a pop song that is both catchy and meaningful, both commercial and personal, and that speaks to the experiences of her generation, in a way that is both intimate and wide-reaching. Without Me was not just a hit; it was an anthem, a declaration, and a statement of empowerment, a song that told listeners they did not need someone who did not value them, and that they were better off without them, and that message, that empowerment, is a major part of why the song became so popular, and why it remains one of Halsey’s defining works.

Manic, released in January 2020, was Halsey’s most personal album and her most musically adventurous. The record was built around the idea of Ashley, her birth name, versus Halsey, the stage persona, with songs that moved between the two identities, sometimes within a single track. Without Me, the album’s biggest hit, was a raw breakup song that topped the charts, while Graveyard, You Should Be Sad, and 3am showed off a range that ran from pop to country to rock, sometimes in the same song. The album also featured collaborations with Alanis Morissette, Suga of BTS, and Dominic Fike, each one chosen because it fit the story rather than because it would sell. Critics called it her best work, and fans heard in it a singer who was done hiding: the lyrics named names, named feelings, and named the messiness of being a person in public. Manic was not just an album; it was a confession, and it made Halsey one of the most interesting voices in pop.

If I Can’t Have Love, The Great Impersonator, and Reinvention

In 2021, Halsey released If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, her fourth studio album, a concept album produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails, that was a departure from her earlier pop sound, with a darker, more industrial, more rock-influenced sound, featuring the hits I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God and Lilith, featuring SUGA of BTS, and that debuted at number two, and that was praised by critics as a bold, ambitious work, a album that showed Halsey as an artist who was willing to take risks, to change her sound, and to challenge her audience, even when that meant losing some of them, and gaining others. The album was accompanied by a film, also titled If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, a visual album that was shown in cinemas, and that told the story of a pregnant woman, a queen, in a medieval world, dealing with themes of motherhood, of power, and of the female body, and that was a work of art in its own right, a film that was both beautiful and disturbing, and that showed Halsey’s ambition as a visual artist, as a storyteller, and as a person who was not afraid to be controversial, to be bold, and to be herself, fully and unapologetically.

She followed If I Can’t Have Love with The Great Impersonator in 2024, her fifth studio album, a concept album in which Halsey impersonates different artists, from Dolly Parton to Britney Spears to David Bowie, in a series of songs that explore identity, influence, and the question of who she is, as an artist and as a person. The album debuted in the top ten, it was praised for its ambition, its creativity, and its willingness to take risks, and it showed Halsey as an artist who was still growing, still experimenting, and still finding new ways to tell stories, even after a decade at the top. The album was also personal, dealing with her health struggles, including a diagnosis of lupus and a rare T-cell disorder, which she revealed in 2024, and which had affected her ability to work, to tour, and to live her life, and her openness about her health, about the challenges, and about the process of healing, has made her a voice for people with chronic illness, for those who struggle, and for the importance of talking about health, of seeking help, and of not being ashamed of it.

Health has shaped Halsey’s recent work more directly than most fans realise. She has spoken for years about living with endometriosis, a painful condition that required multiple surgeries, and in 2024 she revealed that she had also been diagnosed with lupus and a rare blood disorder, news she shared publicly while releasing The Great Impersonator, an album built around the idea of trying on different identities, including those of other artists. The record’s concept was a way of asking who she would have been without illness, without fame, without the choices that made her, and the songs that came from it were among the most vulnerable she has ever written. She has also become an advocate, speaking about reproductive health, about the cost of medical care, and about the right to make decisions about your own body. For fans living with chronic illness, hearing a pop star describe the same struggles, in the same plain language, is a reminder that they are not alone in it.

Motherhood, Activism, and Life Beyond Music

Halsey became a mother in 2021, with the birth of her son, Ender Ridley Aydin, with her then-partner, screenwriter Alev Aydin, and she has spoken about motherhood with love, with honesty, and with a vulnerability that is rare, about the joy of being a mother, about the challenges, about the postpartum depression, and about the way motherhood has changed her priorities, her music, and her life. She is a mother who is involved, who shares moments with her son on social media, and who has said that her son is the most important thing in her life, the reason she works, and the reason she tries to be better.Her family life is private, but what she has shared shows a woman who keeps her roots close, who values the people who knew her before the fame, and who measures success by the life she is building for her son.

She has also become an activist, speaking out about issues she cares about, including reproductive rights, mental health, and the rights of women, of LGBTQ+ people, and of young people, and using her platform to encourage her fans to vote, to get involved, and to make their voices heard. She has spoken at protests, she has testified before Congress about abortion rights, and she has used her music, her social media, and her fame to advocate for change, in a way that is both passionate and informed, and that has earned her respect, even from people who do not listen to her music. Her activism is a part of her identity, a sign that she is not just a pop star, but a citizen, a person who cares about the world, and who wants to make it better, and that activism has made her a role model for young people who want to use their voices, their platforms, and their art, to make a difference, and to fight for what they believe in.

Her personal life has also been a central part of her story, including her relationships, her bisexuality, which she has spoken about openly, and her identity as a biracial woman, with a Black father and a white mother, and her experiences with race, with identity, and with belonging, in a world that often tries to put people in boxes, to define them by a single label, and to ignore the complexity of who they are. She has spoken about these issues with honesty, about the challenges, about the pride, and about the importance of embracing all of who you are, and that honesty is a part of her story that resonates with many fans, who see in her a person who is like them, who is complex, who is multifaceted, and who is not afraid to be herself, fully and unapologetically, even when that self is complicated, contradictory, and constantly changing.

Legacy: The Tumblr Star Who Became a Pop Icon

Halsey will be remembered as the artist who turned the internet into a career before the music industry knew how to do it. She built an audience on Tumblr and SoundCloud, one post at a time, and when the labels arrived, she arrived with them on her own terms, with a visual world, a story, and a voice that were already fully formed. Her influence shows in the generation of pop stars who followed, singers who write confessional lyrics, build concept albums, and treat their online presence as part of the art rather than an afterthought. She proved that a pop star could be a writer first, a performer second, and a person always, and that audiences would follow honesty further than they would follow polish. The girl from New Jersey who posted songs online became an artist who changed what a pop career could look like, and the shape she invented is now the shape everyone uses.

What Halsey has changed most is the conversation around pop stardom itself. She has spoken openly about living with bipolar disorder, about the experience of being a young mother in the public eye, and about the music industry’s habit of treating artists as products, and each time she has done it, she has made it easier for the next artist to do the same. She has also used her platform for advocacy, speaking about reproductive rights, about healthcare, and about the need for the industry to protect its artists rather than exploit them. That willingness to say the uncomfortable thing, in public, is part of why her fans are so loyal: they do not just like her songs, they trust her. In a pop world that rewards silence and smiles, Halsey chose to talk, and the talking became part of the music, part of the brand, and part of the reason she matters.

Halsey’s story is still unfolding, and it is unfolding in a way that is braver than most pop careers dare to be. She writes about illness, about motherhood, about identity, and about the music industry itself, and she does it in public, in real time, without waiting for the story to have a tidy ending. What her career proves is that a pop star can be a person first and a product second, and that audiences will follow honesty further than they will follow polish. She has turned a Tumblr account into a global career, and a diagnosis into a conversation, and she has done it without losing the thread of who she is. The girl from New Jersey who posted songs online became an artist who tells the truth, and the truth, so far, has been enough.

My Take:

Without Me and the Breakup Song That Defined an Era

When I think about Halsey, I think about Without Me, not just as a song, but as a moment, a time in 2018 when a breakup song, about a toxic relationship, about giving everything to someone who does not appreciate it, became a number one hit, and a cultural phenomenon, a song that was played everywhere, that was sung by millions of people, and that defined an era of pop music, an era in which young women were tired of being taken for granted, and wanted music that reflected their experiences, their anger, and their strength. I remember hearing Without Me for the first time, with its opening line, Found you when your heart was broke, I filled your cup until it overflowed, and thinking that this was a song that was going to be huge, because it was honest, because it was relatable, and because it captured a feeling that many people have had, the feeling of giving too much, of loving someone who does not love you back, and of realising that you are better off without them. That is the power of Without Me, and it is why the song became a number one hit, and why it remains one of Halsey’s defining works, a song that will be remembered as long as people listen to pop, as long as they fall in love, and as long as they learn to let go.

What impresses me most about Without Me is its directness. Halsey does not hint, she does not suggest, she states, clearly and confidently, what happened, how she felt, and what she learned, and that directness is refreshing in a world where pop songs are often vague, where they hide their meaning behind metaphors, and where they are afraid to be specific. She sings about a real relationship, about a real person, and about the pain of realising that you gave everything, and it was not enough, and that honesty, that specificity, is what makes the song so powerful, so relatable, and so lasting. The song’s production, by Louis Bell, is also perfect, with a beat that is both catchy and emotional, with a melody that is unforgettable, and with a vocal that is both vulnerable and strong, and that combination, of honest lyrics and great production, is what makes Without Me a classic, a song that will be played for years to come, whenever people need to be reminded that they are better off without someone who does not value them.

I also think about the music video for Without Me, with its references to Halsey’s past relationships, with its visual storytelling, and with its sense of drama, and about the way the video became as famous as the song, a work of art that was both personal and universal, that told a story, and that invited the audience to interpret it, to find themselves in it, and to feel less alone in their own experiences. The video is a perfect complement to the song, a visual representation of its themes, and it shows Halsey as a visual artist, a person who thinks about every aspect of her work, from the sound to the visuals to the fashion, and who creates a experience that is immersive, that is total, and that is unforgettable. Without Me is not just a song; it is a world, a film, and a feeling, all at once, and that completeness is why it became a hit, and why it will be remembered.

One more thing about Without Me stays with me, and it is the way the song’s success was driven by the audience, by the fans, by the people who heard it, who loved it, and who shared it, rather than by radio or by a label, and that is a sign of a new era in music, an era in which the audience, not the industry, decides what is a hit, and in which artists like Halsey, who understand the internet, who understand social media, and who connect directly with their fans, can build a career, a fanbase, and a legacy, without waiting for permission, without conforming, and without compromising. Without Me is a fan-driven hit, a proof that the audience matters, and that a star who listens to her fans, who respects them, will be rewarded with their loyalty, and with their love, and that is a lesson worth learning, for any artist, in any era.

Badlands and the Album That Built a World

Badlands, Halsey’s debut studio album, released in 2015, is in my opinion one of the most interesting debut albums in recent pop music, not just because it was a commercial success, debuting at number two, but because it built a world, a dystopian, desolate landscape, that was both a metaphor for Halsey’s mental health, for her experiences, and for the world she was living in, and that invited the listener to enter it, to explore it, and to find themselves in it. The album’s title, Badlands, is a reference to the barren, desolate landscape, and to the idea of a place that is both beautiful and dangerous, and that theme runs through every song, from Colors to New Americana to Gasoline, making the album not just a collection of hits, but a coherent work, a story, and a statement, about what it means to be young, to be different, and to be trying to find your way, in a world that often feels hostile, confusing, and overwhelming. That world-building is a sign of a great artist, a person who does not just make songs, but creates a universe, and who invites the audience to live in it, even if only for the length of an album.

What I love most about Badlands is its honesty, its willingness to talk about mental health, about bipolar disorder, about the struggles of being young, and about the search for belonging, in a way that is both personal and universal, and that resonates with audiences who have experienced similar struggles, who have felt like outsiders, and who have found in Halsey’s music a voice, a friend, and a place where they belong. The album’s lyrics, with their references to gasoline, to colours, to new Americana, are both poetic and direct, with images that are vivid, with metaphors that are striking, and with a voice that is both intimate and epic, and that combination makes the album feel like a diary, like a conversation, and like a work of art, all at once. Badlands is not just an album; it is a world, a place, and a feeling, and it is a testament to Halsey’s talent as a writer, as a singer, and as a person who is willing to be honest, even when honesty is difficult, and even when it means admitting that she is struggling, that she is lost, and that she is trying to find her way, just like her audience.

I also think about the fact that Badlands was released when Halsey was only twenty years old, and that she wrote it, she created it, and she built a world, at an age when most people are still figuring out who they are, and that ambition, that confidence, is remarkable, a sign of a person who is serious about her art, who is willing to take risks, and who trusts her own vision, even when the world does not understand it yet. The album’s success, its critical acclaim, and its commercial performance, are a testament to that vision, and to the power of a young artist who is not afraid to be herself, to be different, and to make music that is entirely her own. Badlands is a debut, but it is also a statement, a declaration that Halsey had arrived, that she was here to stay, and that she was going to build a career on her own terms, in her own world, and with her own voice, and that is a powerful thing, and one that deserves to be celebrated.

Closer and the Collaboration That Made Her a Star

Closer, Halsey’s collaboration with The Chainsmokers in 2016, is in my opinion one of the most important songs of her career, not just because it was a number one hit, but because it introduced her to a wider audience, to people who had not heard her before, and who fell in love with her voice, her style, and her personality, through a song that was both a pop hit and a showcase for her talent. The song, with its catchy hook, its relatable lyrics about a relationship, about a stolen mattress, and about the complexities of young love, became one of the biggest songs of the year, spending twelve weeks at number one, and becoming a cultural phenomenon, played everywhere, from radio to clubs to social media, and that success was a turning point for Halsey, a moment when she went from a cult star, loved by her fans, to a mainstream star, loved by everyone, and that transition is a difficult one, and Halsey handled it with a grace, a humility, and a talent that are remarkable. The song’s success was not just about The Chainsmokers; it was about Halsey, about her voice, about her performance, and about the way she made the song her own, even though she was a featured artist, and that is a sign of a great collaborator, a person who can elevate a song, who can make it better, and who can leave her mark on it, even when she is not the main artist.

What I find most interesting about Closer is the way it captures a moment, a time in 2016 when EDM and pop were merging, when The Chainsmokers were at the peak of their powers, and when Halsey was a rising star, and the three of them came together to make a song that defined that moment, that became the sound of a summer, and that will be remembered as one of the great pop songs of the decade. The song’s lyrics, about a relationship that is both exciting and doomed, about the thrill of young love, and about the pain of it ending, are both specific and universal, and they resonate with audiences who have experienced similar relationships, who have felt the same excitement, and the same heartbreak, and that resonance is what makes the song so powerful, so relatable, and so lasting. Closer is not just a hit; it is a portrait, a snapshot, of a moment in time, and of a generation, and it is a song that will be played for years to come, whenever people need to be reminded of what it felt like to be young, to be in love, and to be alive, in 2016.

I also think about the fact that Closer was a collaboration, and about the way Halsey has collaborated throughout her career, with artists like The Chainsmokers, BTS, Juice WRLD, and many others, and about the generosity behind those collaborations, the willingness to share the spotlight, to work with others, and to make music that is better because of the collaboration. She is not a solo star who is afraid to share; she is a collaborator, a person who understands that music is better when it is made together, when artists support each other, and when the focus is on the song, not on the ego, and that generosity is a part of what makes her a great artist, and a great person, a sign of a musician who is confident enough to share, and who is secure enough to let others shine, alongside her. Closer is a perfect example of that, a song that is both Halsey’s and The Chainsmokers’, that belongs to both, and that is greater because of the partnership, and that is a lesson worth learning, for any artist, in any genre.

What I Take Away From Her Story

When I look at Halsey’s whole career, from a girl in New Jersey posting music on Tumblr to a global pop star who fills arenas, what stays with me is the internet, the fact that she is one of the first stars who was truly born online, who grew up on Tumblr, on SoundCloud, and on social media, and who became famous not through radio or through a label, but through her fans, through the internet, and through her own creativity. That is a new kind of stardom, a democratic kind, a kind that is open to anyone with talent and a internet connection, and Halsey is the proof that it works, that a kid in a bedroom can become a star, if they have a song, if they have a vision, and if they understand how to connect with an audience. Her story is not just about one artist; it is about a new era in music, an era in which the internet, not the industry, decides what is a hit, and in which artists can build a career directly with their fans, without intermediaries, without gatekeepers, and without waiting for permission. That is a powerful message, and it is one that will inspire a generation of young musicians who are doing the same thing, in their bedrooms, on their laptops, and on the internet, right now.

I also think her story is a reminder that mental health matters, that being open about bipolar disorder, about anxiety, and about depression, is not a weakness, but a strength, and that audiences respond to honesty, to music that feels real, that feels like a diary, and that feels like a conversation with a friend. Halsey’s music is honest, it is vulnerable, and it is real, and that is why it resonates with millions of people, especially young people, who see in her a person who is like them, who struggles with the same things they do, and who is not afraid to talk about it. That honesty is a gift, and it is one that has helped many of her fans, and that has made her music more than entertainment, but a form of healing, a way to feel less alone, and a reminder that it is okay to struggle, and that it is okay to ask for help, and that is a legacy that will be remembered, long after the songs have faded, because it is about more than music, it is about saving lives, about helping people, and about making the world a kinder, more understanding place.

Finally, I want to say that I am looking forward to what comes next for her, because she is an artist who is still growing, still learning, and still finding new ways to make music. Her album The Great Impersonator, her health struggles, and her work as a mother, as an activist, and as a person, all suggest a musician who is not content to rest on her past successes, but who is looking forward, to the next song, the next album, the next project, and who is doing it with a curiosity and a creativity that are infectious. Her story is one of the great stories in modern pop music, a story about a girl from New Jersey who became a pop star, and it is a story that is still being written. I will be watching, and listening, because if her past is any guide, the next chapters will be as surprising, as bold, and as compelling as the ones that came before, and that is a promise worth holding on to.

One last thought stays with me, and it is about the name, Halsey, an anagram of Ashley, and a street in Brooklyn, a name that is both a person and a place, both a identity and a home, and that captures the essence of who she is: a person who is both Ashley and Halsey, both a girl from New Jersey and a pop star, both a real person and a persona, and who is not afraid to be both, to be complex, to be contradictory, and to be herself, fully and unapologetically. That name, that duality, is a perfect metaphor for her art, for her life, and for her story, a story that is still unfolding, like a street in Brooklyn, like a name that is also a place, and that will continue to surprise, to inspire, and to move, for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Halsey become famous?

Halsey became famous through the internet, posting the song Ghost on SoundCloud in 2014, which led to a record deal. Her debut album Badlands in 2015 and her collaboration Closer with The Chainsmokers in 2016 made her a star.

What is Halsey’s biggest song?

Her biggest songs include Without Me, which reached number one, Closer with The Chainsmokers, Bad at Love, Graveyard, and You Should Be Sad. Without Me is her only solo number one hit.

Where is Halsey from?

Halsey was born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane in Edison, New Jersey, on September 29, 1994. She grew up in various towns in New Jersey and studied creative writing at community college.

What does Halsey mean?

Halsey is an anagram of her first name, Ashley, and a reference to Halsey Street in Brooklyn, New York. She chose it as her stage name when she began posting music online.

Is Halsey married?

Halsey is not married. She has a son, Ender Ridley Aydin, born in 2021, with her former partner, screenwriter Alev Aydin. She is engaged to actor Avan Jogia as of 2024.

What are Halsey’s best albums?

Her best albums include Badlands from 2015, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom from 2017, Manic from 2020, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power from 2021, and The Great Impersonator from 2024.