Why Halsey’s ‘Badlands’ is Truly an “Angry Female Record”

Halsey has called her debut studio album, Badlands, an "angry female record," which she was often misquoted as calling an "angry feminist record."

I’ve corrected this a couple of times but I was misquoted and now it's the bane of my existence having to continuously correct because they won't retract the quote. I said an 'angry female record,' and it got misquoted as an 'angry feminist record.'This holds a bit of irony, since she literally wore a symbol of feminism at the Noble Peace Prize Concert, and many of her lyrics have a strong message of being a woman trying to break through the music industry in an impactful way. On "Castle," she uses symbolism to represent her struggle of trying to make a name for herself in a seemingly male-dominant music industry.

I'm headed straight for the castle / They wanna make me their queen / And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean / I'm headed straight for the castle / They’ve got the kingdom locked up / And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut / Straight for the castleOn "Hurricane," Halsey asserts her independence in the chorus, claiming that she "don't belong to no man."

I'm a wanderess, I'm a one night stand / Don't belong to no city, don't belong to no manAlthough lyrics like these belie her true feelings about the album, there are certainly still lyrics in nearly every song that perfectly embody her "angry female" perspective.

Take "Hurricane" for example. The very next lines in the chorus take a turn from what seems to be a feminist perspective, to a more aggressive stance, where Halsey likens herself to a violent hurricane.

I'm the violence in the pouring rain / I'm a hurricane / Ha ah ah, ha ah ah, ahh / I'm a hurricaneOn "Hold Me Down," Halsey claims that the criticism she receives from people, and any hindrance, is the very thing that motivates her to become better. She taunts them by saying that holding her down is just what she lives for.

Hold me down, hold me down / Sneaking out the back door, make no sound / Knock me out, knock me out / Saying that I want more, this is what I live forOn "Ghost," Halsey leaves her lover behind, after realizing that they don't care about her as much as she cares about them. She isn't afraid to tell them that she hates them, and even enjoys the feeling.

You say that you're no good for me / Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve / And I swear I hate you when you leave / But I like it anyway"Strange Love" is about the focus the media puts on one of Halsey's previous relationships. It emphasizes how obsessed people are with wanting to know everything about celebrities' personal lives. However, she isn't about to give anything away.

They think I'm insane, they think my lover is strange / But I don't have to fucking tell them anything, anything / And I'm gonna write it all down, and I'm gonna sing it on stage / But I don't have to fucking tell you anything, anything"Gasoline" is about Halsey's bipolar disorder. Throughout the song, she calls herself "insane," and details her erratic behavior.

Are you insane like me? Been in pain like me?....Are you deranged like me? Are you strange like me? Lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me? Do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?"Control,"—evidently the next track on the album, after "Gasoline"— also deals with Halsey's bipolarity. This song is filled with lyrics that show her intense side, with strong emotions. On the pre-chorus and chorus, she shows that she is in control of her disorder.

I'm bigger than my body / I'm colder than this home / I'm meaner than my demons / I'm bigger than these bones / And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me" / I can't help this awful energy / God damn right, you should be scared of me / Who is in control?On the bridge, she portrays herself as nothing short of crazy.

And I've grown familiar with villains that live in my head / They beg me to write them so I'll never die when I'm dead