The devil works hard, but Halsey sure does work harder. Just a year on from her personal project Manic, our fave pop chameleon is set to release her fourth studio album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power this August. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also navigated a pregnancy through the pandemic.
From key producers to an overarching theme of motherhood, here’s everything we know so far about Halsey’s anticipating new era.
So, Halsey’s a mum
Ask any Halsey fan what Halsey yearns for the most and they’ll answer motherhood. Throughout the star’s entire career, she’s spoken (and sang) publicly about her wish to have a child, while simultaneously shedding a light on the fact that she struggles to. Which is why it was quite literally the best news in the world when she announced her pregnancy earlier this year, and even better news when Ender Ridley Aydin joined us on the 14th of July happy and healthy.
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Amazing, but how does that relate to the album?
Jumping back into her wonderful world of concepts, Halsey announced in the beginning of July that her album would center around “the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth.” Delivering her breathtaking album art at the same time, a regal adaptation of French painter Jean Fouquet’s Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels that shows the popstar exposed and sitting on an iron throne, Halsey aims to destigmatise breastfeeding and the oversexualisation of pregnant and postpartum bodies through her art while also sharing her own journey.
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What about that unveiling video?
Fans aren’t new to the whole watch-me-in-silence-for-a-stupidly-long-time bit Halsey loves to pull with her album artwork unveiling videos, but this time around we got to see a bit more insight into the star’s inspiration. Hiring out the MET Museum in New York, a very pregnant Halsey elegantly walks around and stops to view other Renaissance paintings that tie into her album artwork and its concept. If you haven’t seen it already, check out the video below!
Let’s talk about the producers
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power is produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, members of rock group Nine Inch Nails and esteemed music makers in the biz. As well as working in their own band, the duo has worked on the scores for dozens of huge films, including The Social Network, Soul and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and have gone on to achieve a list of accolades for their efforts. But that’s not all that’s got everyone abuzz, fans are hoping the rockers’ influence means the edgy, punk album Halsey has always wanted to make is finally coming.
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Wait, there’s a movie?
We told you, nobody works harder than Halsey. On top of everything, the star found the time to make an hour-long film to further push her concept to the world. In a recently dropped trailer, it’s revealed that the film is about “the lifelong social labyrinth of sexuality and birth” and features multiple dark snippets of a fictional Victorian world in which Halsey is the protagonist. Written by Halsey herself and directed by long-time collaborator Colin Tilley, the film will be shown in IMAX theatres around the world (as far as we know, NZ will be included!) and tickets go on sale August 3.
‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ is out August 27. Pre-save here.
SEE ALSO: What’s Halsey Been Up To?
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