Release Date: June 2, 2017 Genre: Pop Label: Astralwerks
Halsey’s sophomore album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, released on June 2, 2017, is a bold departure from the dreamlike haze of her debut Badlands (2015). This album is a grand, cinematic exploration of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, drawing heavy inspiration from Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of Romeo + Juliet. With its narrative-driven concept, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom feels more like a modern-day tragic romance than a collection of songs, offering listeners a meticulously crafted world where every track contributes to the overarching storyline. Halsey's new album’s concept centers on the doomed relationship between two characters, Luna Aureum and Solis Angelus, who are from rival houses in a dystopian world. This Shakespearean framework allows Halsey to delve deep into themes of love, betrayal, and the quest for identity. It’s an ambitious project, blending personal experiences with literary allusions, making the album feel both intimate and epic.
Musically, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom is a genre-blurring effort that showcases Halsey’s versatility as an artist. The album traverses a landscape of pop, R&B, and electronic influences, with production that feels both lush and gritty. Songs like “Now or Never” and “Bad at Love” are radio-friendly anthems, while tracks like “100 Letters” and “Walls Could Talk” are more experimental, with intricate production and introspective lyrics. The album’s sonic diversity keeps it engaging from start to finish, reflecting the tumultuous emotions at its core.
“100 Letters” opens the album with a haunting melody and introspective lyrics, setting the tone for the narrative journey ahead. “Now or Never,” one of the album’s lead singles, is a sultry, slow-burning anthem that encapsulates the desperation of wanting love on one’s own terms. “Sorry” strips things back to just Halsey and a piano, allowing her raw vocals to shine as she delivers a heart-wrenching apology to a past lover. “Bad at Love” is perhaps the album’s most relatable track, where Halsey candidly recounts a series of failed relationships, painting a picture of a person who is self-aware yet still struggling to find a way out of the cycle.
“Alone” is another highlight, blending vintage and contemporary sounds with its jazzy horns and modern beats, while “Strangers,” featuring Lauren Jauregui, is a groundbreaking same-sex love song that defies the norms of mainstream pop music.
Halsey’s lyrics throughout Hopeless Fountain Kingdom are sharp, poetic, and emotionally charged. Each song serves as a chapter in the larger story, with recurring motifs and symbols that tie the narrative together. The lyrics are often confessional, drawing from Halsey’s own experiences, yet they are crafted in a way that makes them universally relatable. The album’s storytelling is cohesive and compelling, with a clear beginning, middle, and end that invites listeners to get lost in the world Halsey has created.
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom is a testament to Halsey’s growth as an artist and storyteller. It’s an album that dares to take risks, both conceptually and musically, and in doing so, it cements Halsey’s place as one of the most innovative pop artists of her generation. The album’s cinematic scope and emotional depth make it more than just a collection of songs; it’s an immersive experience that resonates long after the final track fades out. For fans of conceptual albums and narrative-driven music, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom is a masterpiece that demands to be explored in its entirety.