What’s next for Halsey? A look at her latest single, ‘Now or Never’

April 27, 2017, 12:35 a.m.
What's next for Halsey? A look at her latest single, 'Now or Never'
(Courtesy of Deshaun Craddock)

It’s been over a year since Halsey released her debut album, “Badlands,” in the U.S., and the music industry has seen her come a long way since then. But even with “Badlands” going platinum and several of its tracks achieving RIAA certifications of their own, Halsey’s upshot to stardom would have taken a very talented fortune-teller to predict. After the success of her megahit “Closer,” which she created with The Chainsmokers and promptly sent to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 (where it stayed for 12 consecutive weeks), many Halsey fans and curious non-fans alike were left wondering how she might take advantage of her newfound visibility.

The answer comes in the form of “Now or Never,” a new electropop song released on April 4. Acting as her newest single, the song is rapidly climbing pop radio charts — and it’s no wonder why. While staying true to the darker electronic sound featured on “Badlands,” “Now or Never” nevertheless manages to stand out as a new direction for the singer. Melding electronic production with a vocal delivery similar to Rihanna’s in her smash-hit “Needed Me,” the result is a pleasing, uber-replayable track that blends in seamlessly with the recent popularity of “chill” music.

The video is an equally spectacular experience; Halsey teased that her new album, titled “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom,” is a modern-day telling of Romeo and Juliet. Delivering pleasing visuals and aesthetics, the music video for “Now or Never” sees two rival gangs ruling a city where love seems to be either very rare or outlawed — and — surprise, surprise — Halsey and her love interest from the enemy gang have got it.

If any of that sounds good to you, check it out. Halsey’s newest album will be out on June 2, 2017.

 

Contact Dante Laird at dlaird2 ‘at’ stanford.edu.

Nick Burns—an Austin, TX sophomore—studies Science, Technology and Society. In his spare time, he likes to watch Netflix, feed his coffee addiction, read young adult novels, and write. His favorite kind of music is pop/electronic—especially if you can dance to it.

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