The Great Impersonator is Halsey’s fifth album, and a standout amid all of her projects.
Making its grand debut on October 25, 2024 The Great Impersonator is a concept album that focuses on the dualities and dichotomies of fame, living with chronic illness, and motherhood. It is a complex and chronicled journey through Halsey’s psyche.
The title itself is an ode to Halsey’s feelings as both an entertainer and a person, which is encapsulated throughout the whole album. She plays into the persona of someone who can become whatever the people around her need her to be. Whether it’s the captivating celebrity, doting lover, or caring mother, Halsey proves repeatedly through her lyrics that she is willing to take on the role, no matter the cost. The singer-songwriter also plays with the idea of living in a different time period, which is depicted in her songs “Letter to God (1974),” “Letter to God (1983),” and “Letter to God (1998).”
The high points in this album consist of “Panic Attack,” “I Never Loved You”, “Life of the Spider (Draft),” and “Lonely is the Muse.”
“Panic Attack” demonstrates the effects of stress and hardships on the body, before Halsey compares the feeling of new love to that of a panic attack.
In the track “I Never Loved You” she depicts the end of a brutal relationship, singing that her love was sincere and purposeful.
“Life of the Spider (Draft)” is a breathtaking ballad about how Halsey’s chronic illness affected her self image and relationships. With just her roaring voice, a piano, and a touch of reverb, she is able to spin a heart-wrenching tale that overflows with vulnerability and honesty.
A wonderful exploration into the realm of soft rock, “Lonely is the Muse” is a gnarly track about the dehumanization that comes with being an artist’s inspiration.
As much as this album seems to be Halsey’s vulnerable admission of imperfection, a detailed description of her many trials and tribulations, she relates it all to the environment around her and none to her own contribution to them. To a certain extent, the lyrics in this project read as though she has accepted martyrdom (viewed in “Lonely is the Muse”) and victimization. She relates all of her issues to external forces. Rarely is there a sense of self-reflection, which would undoubtedly take this project to new heights.
Another issue with this album is present in the sound. The lyrics are her most raw and honest yet, but it seemed as though her focus was only on that. As a result, the beats and instrumentals themselves quickly fall into musical mediocrity. Her efforts to emulate—or impersonate, if you will—the sounds of some of her idols, such as Dolly Parton (“Hometown”), result in some of her tracks coming off as thoughtless tributes. They neither live up to or take ideas from the work of her idols, but rather serve as a rushed remake.
Though The Great Impersonator is Halsey’s best work lyrically and conceptually, the experimental sounds of her former albums will remain on their thrones. Overall, this work is a 6/10, with emphasis on its depth but notes on its production.
