How Halsey went from being homeless to being a famous star in music industry

Halsey’s new pop track ‘Without me’ has been for weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Last years, her music has become more and more popular and it’s nearly impossible to have not heard her music on the radio. She is known for her outspokenness and her alternative music with deep lyrics. But she didn’t get this fame for free. 

The 24 year old singer was born in New Jersey. Her full name is actually Ashley Frangipane. Halsey is her stage name, which is an anagram of Ashley. Her parents dropped out of college when her mother was pregnant of her. She didn’t have an easy childhood. Her family moved a lot, because her parents were always looking for work. In school, she was often bullied. In this time, her appearance changed many times. She got tattoos, shaved all her hair off and listened to emo music. 

When Ashley was seventeen, she tried to commit suicide and not long after, she was diagnosed as bipolar. When she was in college, she started identifying herself as bisexual. Fans used to call her ‘tribi’ since she is bisexual, bipolar and biracial, but Ashley didn’t like this term. 

After this period, she became homeless. In an interview, she told that one time she had only nine dollars on her bank account and she bought a six pack red bull, because she was too afraid to sleep on the street. It’s funny, because now she owns multiple houses.

Ashley started uploading covers and parodies on Youtube. She wrote her song ‘Ghost’, put it on SoundCloud, and it became an overnight success. She signed with AstralWerks. After this, in 2015, she released her first album called Badlands which became a huge success. This concept album can be described as dark and alternative, as she was going through depression during this time. The Badlands represent a place and Halsey used this as a metaphor for her state of mind: The Badlands is an area which is extremely hard to travel through. Inside the Badlands is a city which is actually a metaphor for her depression, since the citizens can’t escape the city. 

She also collaborated with the Chainsmokers, and their song ‘Closer’ has now more than two billion views on Youtube. 

During her tour after releasing ‘Badlands’, she had a miscarriage and this way she was diagnosed with endometriosis. This miscarriage was right before a VEVO concert. Instead of cancelling the concert, she entered the stage, because it was a very important performance. Halsey describes it as the angriest performance she has ever done. 

In 2017, she released her second album, called Hopeless Fountian Kingdom. The album title again refers to a place which symbolises her state of mind. She was going through a break-up. In the album, she tells the story of Romeo and Juilliet, and how their love was doomed, in her own way. In the first song she reads out loud the Prologue of Romeo and Juillet. Unlike the Badlands, this album contains more pop songs and has more of a sexy vibe. All of her songs have a deep meaning and I wish I could explain it track by track to you. 

Halsey is a celebrity now, owns multiple houses, and travels across the whole world to share her music. She describes herself as an open book which is why many people can connect with her and her past. She stands up for them, especially LGBTQ+ people. 

She released her newest track ‘Without me’, a few months ago. The song is popular worldwide, but her fans know a new album will be released somewhere this year. I went to a concert of her once, which was one of most exciting experiences in my life and I would love to hear her new music. 

Watch her music video for 'Now or Never':