HALSEY - IF I CAN'T HAVE LOVE, I WANT POWER
In what is likely their most theatrical release yet, singer/songwriter Halsey released their fourth album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.
In what is likely their most theatrical release yet, singer/songwriter, Halsey, released their fourth album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power just earlier this week. The album comes just a month after the birth of their first child with whom the album art, and some of the tracks are heavily influenced by. Halsey shows how proud they are of their newly gained motherhood, and expresses that in the cover art of the album inspired by the famous art piece, Virgin & Child Surrounded by Angels by Jean Founquet.
Despite no singles being released for the album, it was accompanied by a theatrical film released in IMAX theatres in a one night only event which featured Halsey in the role of a pregnant Queen.
Other artists like Melanie Martinez and even Fall Out Boy have gone the route for a more cinematic approach with their albums, but Halsey is the only one of the three to host an IMAX event such as this one.
This isn’t their first album to have such a strong theme. 2015’s release, Badlands creates somewhat of a Romeo and Juliet storyline within a dystopian future. Songs such as ‘Colors’, ‘Castle’, and ‘New Americana’ brought them huge success among the mainstream media.
Opening the album is ‘The Tradition’ which begins to paint a story of women being brought up to be married and to have families even with those they do not truly love, while living out their lives unhappy. The track does a great job at this by using both the vocals and instrumentals to paint a picture of a time long before, where this was a common practice, especially in the 1700s-1800s where daughters were often courted by family friends and expected to marry them.
This perfectly leads into the next track, ‘Bells in Santa Fe’ which is more of a song about escaping those aspects of life. They push the idea that they could leave, and their partner would not even notice and go to someone else.
Fourth track, ‘Lilith’, brings back the misogynist ideas that women are inherently rude or mean were brought up in 2015’s ‘Castle’, with the lines “You got me thinking that I was too mean / Well, everything I say, I mean.” Using the demon Lilith to further push this idea, which is the demon responsible for men’s erotic dreams.
‘1121’ is easily a favourite track on the album, said in their Instagram live to be titled after the date they found out they were pregnant with their first child, 11/21/2020. They fell ill and thought they had contracted COVID, however, they found out they were pregnant, and COVID negative. While hinting at the singer’s past troubles with endometriosis and struggles with pregnancy, it’s a very powerful track showcasing the struggles they have faced and how it affects them. “You could have my heart and I would break it for you,” further shows their devotion to parenthood, and the love they have for their child.
The album closes with ‘Ya’aburnee’ which is a softer track, featuring mostly just vocals and bass and guitar, but could be seen as a track for their current partner, highlighting things they want to do in the future such as getting married. They explain in the track that they want a life with this person, and are ready to give them any and everything, even giving a nod to the track, ‘Darling’ which is a lullaby to their newborn child.
It’s truly amazing to see where Halsey is going and their constant growth, especially their growth as a new parent and seeing that reflected throughout the album, and in the film. It’s evident that these tracks mean so much to them and their new family, and any listener can clearly see how this has affected them.
Alex Davidson
★★★★★