Who is Halsey? How This Singer is Creeping ‘Closer’ to Stardom

Despite it’s summer release date, The Chainsmoker’s hit “Closer” is still trending – and ENTITY believes Halsey has everything to do with it.

The track from the DJ duo features female singer-songwriter Halsey. A previously released a lyric music video for “Closer” was released back in July, but this new version provides fans with a more personal look at the performers. This video – full of sensual visuals, dark shadows and raw emotion – more accurately conveys the feeling and story arch of the song.

Sure, The Chainsmokers are a talented pair, but ENTITY thinks the real magic of this hit comes from Halsey. The “New Americana” icon has come a long way since her New Jersey roots as Ashley Frangipane, who was just “an arty, misfit high school kid.” While the star sings “California never felt like home,” she’s still holds an L.A. zipcode.

After a string of YouTube covers and an original SoundCloud release, Halsey scored a record deal with Astralwerks. She made her first tour appearance as an opener for The Kooks, her sound earning her a solo spot on stage, debuting in music festivals such as 2015’s South by Southwest (SXSW) and 2016’s Coachella. The SXSW performance earned her the title of the artist who earned the most buzz on Twitter.

In a July interview with Rolling Stone, Halsey’s pre-stardom past is divulged in graphic detail. Yet this interview is hardly the first time she’s spoken about her journey before fame. Throughout her young career, she has been open about her life before the lights, including her drug use, junky ex-lovers, police detainment and wandering lifestyle.

Her music bleeds that honesty. Electropop beats mix with thoughtful lyrics in a blur that makes you feel like you’re on the ride along with Halsey, sitting in her passenger seat as she navigates her new-found fame. Aside from her feature in “Closer,” Halsey’s album “BADLANDS” earns millions of plays on Spotify, with hits like “Colors” and “Ghost” earning much praise.

Halsey – Billboard’s Women In Music ‘Rising Star’ – surely won’t be able to be held down from future success. In her rise to fame, she has bulldozed any hurdles, including her relationships with her exes.

“When [my ex-boyfriend and I] met, I was nobody; things changed very quickly,” she told Billboard after breaking up with her ex. “A lot of people in my life freaked out. I didn’t have the chance to say, ‘I’m sorry, let me explain.’ It was kind of like, ‘If you can’t keep up, f— you. I have to keep going.'”

With her motivation tank full of “Gasoline,” ENTITY thinks this powerhouse shows no signs of slowing her speed, even when faced with seemingly impossible obstacles. Get ready for a lot more Halsey – we won’t see this star “Coming Down” anytime soon.