Music meteorology: predicting the next wave of earworms with the tracks they’re teasing now.
2024’s latest new single sees Halsey dive deep into their rock roots, delivering a raw cut that tackles fame, identity, and the price of being a muse. With their new album on the horizon, the stage is set for a powerful comeback.
Words: Dan Harrison.
Halsey has always been an artist who thrives on contradictions, effortlessly weaving between genres while maintaining a deeply personal narrative thread. Their latest single, ‘Lonely Is The Muse’, is no exception. It’s a blistering return to their rock roots, delivered with the intensity and emotional depth that has come to define their recent work.
‘Lonely Is The Muse’ arrives as the third single from their much-anticipated fifth studio album, following the release of ‘Lucky’ and ‘The End’, each showcasing different facets of their artistic identity. While ‘Lucky’ flirted with the glossy nostalgia of Y2K pop and interpolated a Britney Spears classic, ‘The End’ delved into indie-folk territory, co-produced with Alex G, touching on deeply personal themes of illness and survival. Now, with ‘Lonely Is The Muse’, Halsey channels the raw, unfiltered energy of alt-rock, a genre they’ve revisited multiple times throughout their career, most notably on their 2021 album ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’.
But this isn’t just a rehash of old themes. ‘Lonely Is The Muse’ stands as a defiant statement of self-worth and resilience, wrapped in the dark, industrial tones that have become synonymous with Halsey’s rock-leaning work. The lyrics are as cutting as the music is intense: “I’ve inspired platinum records, I’ve earned platinum airline status / And I mined a couple diamonds from the stories in my head / But I’m reduced to just a body here in someone else’s bed.” They’re laying bare the struggles of an artist who has been both celebrated and commodified, reduced to a muse rather than recognised for their own creative genius.
This track is a confrontation. Halsey grapples with the expectations placed upon them by the music industry and society, all while reflecting on the personal toll that comes with being seen as a mere vessel for others’ art. The chorus, where they compare themselves to a martyr, underscores this sense of sacrificial identity. “I always knew I was a martyr and that Jesus was one too / But I was built from special pieces that I learned how to unscrew,” they sing, illustrating the delicate balance between vulnerability and strength that defines their public persona.
In many ways, ‘Lonely Is The Muse’ feels like a continuation of the narrative Halsey has been building since the release of ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’. That album was a turning point — a stark body of work that saw them collaborating with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to create a sound that was both abrasive and hauntingly beautiful. With ‘Lonely Is The Muse’, they’re pushing these themes even further, blending gothic and industrial elements with a more personal, introspective lyrical approach.
But beyond the music itself, ‘Lonely Is The Muse’ speaks to Halsey’s ongoing battle with their public image and the expectations that come with it. It’s a struggle that’s been playing out in real-time on social media, where they have candidly discussed the pressures of fame and the criticism they’ve faced from their own fans. In this context, the single feels like both a personal catharsis and a public declaration — Halsey isn’t just an artist; they’re a force to be reckoned with, unafraid to confront their demons head-on.
As we await the full release of their fifth album, ‘Lonely Is The Muse’ stands as a powerful reminder of Halsey’s place in the modern music landscape. They’re an artist who refuses to be pigeonholed, constantly evolving and challenging both themselves and their audience. With this track, they’re not simply reclaiming their narrative, they’re redefining it on their own terms, proving that in a world that often seeks to reduce artists to their most marketable traits, true creative power lies in embracing every contradiction, every complexity, and every ounce of truth.
LINKS IN BIO
THE NEW BOPS AND BANGERS THEY’RE TEASING FOR IMMINENT RELEASE
Blondshell – What’s Fair
Release date: 21th August 2024
Blondshell’s been busy this summer, treating the masses at Glastonbury, Lollapalooza and more to a tantalising glimpse of what she’s got in store for us next. ‘What’s Fair’, a taster of what we presume is a new album, is set to arrive this coming Wednesday. After giving us the impressive ‘Docket’, featuring Bully, back in March, the bar is set awfully high – but after giving us one of the best albums in recent years with her self-titled debut, nobody would bet against her.
Fontaines D.C. – In The Modern World
Release date: 20th August 2024
Just when you thought the hype for Fontaines D.C.’s ‘ROMANCE’ couldn’t get any hotter – and Lorde knows we’ve written enough about it in this week’s Agenda – along comes ‘In The Modern World’ to prove you gloriously wrong. Landing as the final single before Friday’s album drop, it’s a last glimpse into what might be the year’s most anticipated release from an inverted commas ‘indie band’ (though, let us be clear, that tag is in no way sufficient for what Fontaines have become). ‘ROMANCE’ sees the band pushing at the very edges of their sound, with this latest preview continuing the trend of swinging big and hitting hard. The countdown is on.
Amyl & The Sniffers – Chewing Gum
Release date: 21st August 2024
Amyl & The Sniffers never arrive quietly, so it’s fair to say we shouldn’t expect new single ‘Chewing Gum’ to be a demure affair when it arrives on Wednesday (21st August). Teased in all the usual places, it follows on from the raw intensity of their 2021 album ‘Comfort to Me’ and recent 2024 singles ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ and ‘Facts’. With a reputation for unapologetic lyrics and a visceral sound, it’s sure to make a dent in the back end of summer,.
COLDPLAY FEAT. LITTLE SIMZ, BURNA BOY, ELYANNA, TINI – WE PRAY
Release date: 23rd August 2024
Just when you thought Coldplay couldn’t get any more Coldplay, they go and create the United Nations of pop bangers. Debuted at Glastonbury 2024, this track brings together Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna, and TINI in what can only be described as an attempt to solve world peace through the power of soaring choruses. Say what you will about Coldplay, but their ability to turn earnestness into an art form remains unmatched.
JUNGLE – LET’S GO BACK
Release date: 4th September 2024
Jungle, those purveyors of funk so crisp it could snap in half, are back with ‘Let’s Go Back’ – a title that feels less like an invitation and more like a command. Fresh off their 2023 album Volcano, which erupted onto the scene with all the subtlety of, well, a volcano, Jungle seem intent on reminding us why we fell in love with them in the first place. Expect a track that does exactly what it says on the tin – takes us back to a time when dance music had soul, when grooves were measured in seismic activity, and when a good bassline could solve most of life’s problems. In a world of disposable pop, Jungle remain a band you can set your watch to – assuming your watch is calibrated to “funk o’clock.”
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