Strangers (Halsey song)

Last updated
"Strangers"
Halsey - Strangers.png
Promotional single by Halsey featuring Lauren Jauregui
from the album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom
ReleasedMay 26, 2017 (2017-05-26)
Genre Synth-pop [1]
Length3:41
Label Astralwerks
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Greg Kurstin
Halsey promotional single chronology
"Eyes Closed"
(2017)		"Strangers"
(2017)		"Clementine"
(2019)
Music video
"Strangers" on YouTube

"Strangers" is a song by American singer Halsey featuring Lauren Jauregui. It was released on May 26, 2017, through Astralwerks as the second promotional single from her second studio album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017). The song received critical acclaim. Halsey later released a music video on June 20, 2018.

Contents

Background

The album's track listing was revealed on April 29, 2017, on Halsey's Instagram account, where it was first known that Halsey would collaborate with Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui on a song called "Strangers". [2] In April, during several radio interviews that Halsey attended to promote the album, she further commented about the song:

I was thinking to myself, if I want this song to be believable, it needs to be real, so I'm not going to put a girl on the song to sing who's straight. I'm just not going to do it. So I reached out to Lauren and she came in and she cut the vocal and it sounds awesome. Our voices sound really cool together because we both have really raspy voices, mine's a little more delicate than hers. Hers is like really powerful and big and raspy, and mine is kind of like light and raspy. But it's really cool because I'm bisexual. I just love that Lauren and I are two women who have a mainstream pop presence doing a love song for the LGBT community, it's unheard of. It's very rare to see it from a female perspective. [3]

Composition

"Strangers" incorporates a 1980s-inspired production, [4] with echoed synthesizers and strong drumline [5] [6] Analyzing its lyrical content Alexia Shouneya from Billboard wrote, "Strangers is about two women longing for one another," [7] while Christina Lee of Idolator opined, "The lyrics actually tell a straightforward story about a dissolved relationship, and the loneliness that quickly follows." [8]

Critical reception

"Strangers" received critical acclaim. [9] AllMusic's journalist Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that "same-sex love songs remain a rarity in the pop music of the 2010s, and ... that's a sly reveal of how Halsey represents a generational shift". [10] In her review for Billboard, Alexia Shouneya noted "in the first verse alone, she uses the female pronoun four times, once in every line, making it impossible to miss, skim over or interpret as anything other than what it was meant to be: a strong, unapologetic acknowledgement of lesbian and bisexual women." [7] Anna Caga of Spin believed that "Strangers" is the "best Halsey['s] song" and described it as "slinky and addicting", adding that its best moments are "Jauregui's ad-libs, the way she slurs the word 'innocent' with the kind of spontaneous passion Halsey never allows herself." [11] In Pitchfork , Katherine St. Asaph said the song "shimmers and yearns like a recent Tegan and Sara cut" and "contains the album's most nuanced lyrics, the coupling that's most promising yet most out of reach." [12]

Billboard ranked "Strangers" at number 97 on its critics list of the 100 Best Songs of 2017. Chris Payne wrote that it is Billboard staff's favorite song from the album, praising Halsey and Jauregui's chemistry and Jauregui's tone and delivery of "lovesick desperation". [13] Billboard regarded the song as a "long-overdue bisexual milestone in mainstream music." [14] In 2019, Billboard included the song in its list of the "30 Lesbian Love Songs". [15]

Live performances

Halsey and Jauregui performed "Strangers" on Today on June 9, 2017. [16] The following day, the two performed the song at iHeartSummer '17 Weekend in Miami Beach, Florida. [17] In June 2018, they performed the song on Good Morning America . [18]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Hopeless Fountain Kingdom . [19]

Charts

Chart (2017–18)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [20] 93
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100) [21] 18
France (SNEP) [22] 137
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ) [23] 3
Philippines (Philippine Hot 100) [24] 90
Portugal (AFP) [25] 57
Scotland (OCC) [26] 45
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) [27] 89
US Billboard Hot 100 [28] 100

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [29] Platinum60,000‡
United States (RIAA) [30] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Jauregui</span> American singer and songwriter

Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Jauregui began experimenting with different sounds and exploring solo songwriting, collaborating on songs with Marian Hill, Steve Aoki and Halsey. She signed to Columbia Records to release her debut solo single "Expectations" in October 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halsey (singer)</span> American singer (born 1994)

Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, known professionally as Halsey, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Noted for her distinctive singing voice, she has received several awards including three Billboard Music Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Award, an American Music Award and nominations for three Grammy Awards. She was included on Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Americana</span> 2015 single by Halsey

"New Americana" is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey from her debut studio album, Badlands (2015). It was released on July 10, 2015 through Astralwerks as the album's second single. It was written by Halsey, Larzz Principato, and Kalkutta, while production was handled by Lido. Described as an alternative pop and electronic pop song, "New Americana" describes the normalization of aspects of counterculture in the United States, including recreational marijuana use and same-sex marriage. The original version of the song was first released on March 31, 2014 via Halsey's official SoundCloud account for streaming and free download.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halsey discography</span>

American pop singer Halsey has released four studio albums, two live albums, 11 extended plays, 28 singles, 10 promotional singles, and 36 music videos. After being signed to Astralwerks, she released her debut EP Room 93 on October 27, 2014, and then toured with larger acts to promote it and her upcoming album. Since her debut, Halsey has released nine Gold, 11 Platinum, seven Multiplatinum, and one Diamond single in the United States alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That's My Girl</span> 2016 single by Fifth Harmony

"That's My Girl" is a song recorded by American girl group Fifth Harmony. It was released and serviced to contemporary hit radio on September 27, 2016, through Epic Records and Syco Music as the third and final single from the group's second studio album, 7/27 (2016) as the opening track. The song was written by Tinashe Kachingwe, Alexander Kronlund, and Lukas Loules, with production handled by Kronlund and Loules. "That's My Girl" is mainly an R&B anthemic track with elements of electro-pop and lyrical themes focused on female empowerment, encouragement and feminist influences. Several critics noted similarities from the group's previous singles, which also feature an indistinguishable militaristic production. The song is also noted for being the last single to feature band member Camila CabeIIo as she left in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closer (The Chainsmokers song)</span> 2016 single by the Chainsmokers

"Closer" is a song by American DJ duo the Chainsmokers featuring American singer Halsey. Andrew Taggart also provides his vocals in the song, which was a first. It was released on July 29, 2016, through Disruptor Records and Columbia Records. The song was written by Taggart, Halsey, Shaun Frank, Freddy Kennett, Isaac Slade and Joe King. Halsey's vocals were produced by DJ Swivel, while the main song production was handled by the Chainsmokers as usual. Musically, it is a future bass and pop song with a "retro" style synthesizer in the chorus. Taggart and Halsey take turns singing their parts before singing the chorus together as the song concludes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Not Afraid Anymore</span> 2017 single by Halsey

"Not Afraid Anymore" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Halsey for the soundtrack of the 2017 film Fifty Shades Darker. It was written by Halsey, Jason Quenneville, Nasri Atweh, Adam Messinger and produced by Atweh and Messinger under The Messengers. The song was released on January 13, 2017, by Universal Music Group as the second single from the album.

<i>Hopeless Fountain Kingdom</i> 2017 studio album by Halsey

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Halsey. It was released on June 2, 2017, through Astralwerks. The album features guest appearances from Quavo, Lauren Jauregui and Cashmere Cat. Halsey co-wrote every song on the album, while production was handled by Lido and Benny Blanco, among others. Following its release, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States and the Canadian Albums Chart. The album was also certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the US. In support of the album, Halsey embarked on the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Tour (2017–2018). The album was described by Halsey as having more "radio friendly music" when compared to her previous releases. As a result, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom is primarily a pop and R&B record and features synth-pop and electropop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Now or Never (Halsey song)</span> 2017 single by Halsey

"Now or Never" is a song by American singer Halsey from her second studio album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017). It was released on April 4, 2017, through Astralwerks as the lead single with its music video being released simultaneously, as an instant grat with the album's pre-order. Halsey co-wrote the song with Starrah and its producers Cashmere Cat, Happy Perez, and Benny Blanco. It is a pop and dark pop song that also incorporates R&B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eyes Closed (Halsey song)</span> Song by Halsey

"Eyes Closed" is a song by American singer Halsey. It was released on May 4, 2017, through Astralwerks as the first promotional single from her second studio album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alone (Halsey song)</span> 2018 song by Halsey

"Alone" is a song by American singer Halsey from her second studio album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017). A remixed version of the song featuring American rapper Big Sean and British rapper Stefflon Don was released on March 15, 2018 through Astralwerks as the third and final single from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad at Love</span> 2017 single by Halsey

"Bad at Love" is a song by American singer Halsey from her second studio album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017). It was released on June 2, 2017, through Astralwerks as the second single from the album. Halsey co-wrote the song with Justin Tranter, Ricky Reed, and Rogét Chahayed, with the song being produced by the latter two. Lyrically, the song encompasses the protagonist's past relationships and the reasons they were unsuccessful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Down (Fifth Harmony song)</span> 2017 single by Fifth Harmony

"Down" is a song recorded by American girl group Fifth Harmony for their self-titled third studio album (2017), featuring additional vocals by American rapper Gucci Mane. It was released on June 2, 2017, through Epic Records as the lead single from the album. Written by Jude Demorest, Gucci Mane and its producers Joshua Coleman and Dallas Koehlke, "Down" marked the group's first single since the departure of original member Camila Cabello in December 2016. The song was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio four days after its initial release and then contemporary hit radio on June 13, 2017. A dancehall number, "Down" has a production consisting of bass, snare drums, synths and soft snaps. The lyrics are structured in verse–pre-chorus–chorus form. Although it is written from a romantic perspective, "Down" was inspired by the group's bond as a quartet and the adversities they have faced together and individually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Jauregui discography</span>

American singer Lauren Jauregui has released two extended play, sixteen singles, two promotional singles. In 2012, Jauregui auditioned as a solo artist in the second season of The X Factor. After being eliminated as a solo performer, Jauregui was brought back into the competition along with four other girls to form the girl group Fifth Harmony. During her time in the group, Jauregui and her bandmates released the albums Reflection (2015), 7/27 (2016), and Fifth Harmony (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Tour</span> 2017–18 concert tour by Halsey

The Hopeless Fountain Kingdom World Tour was the second headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Halsey, in support of her second studio album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017). The tour began on September 29, 2017, in Uncasville, Connecticut, at the Mohegan Sun Arena and concluded on September 26, 2018, in Berlin, Germany, at Columbiahalle. In 2017, the tour grossed $9.2 million from 28 shows with 340,983 tickets sold across North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Night (Steve Aoki and Lauren Jauregui song)</span> 2017 single by Steve Aoki and Lauren Jauregui

"All Night" is a song by American DJ Steve Aoki and American singer and songwriter Lauren Jauregui, released on November 17, 2017 through Ultra Records. It was written by Mike Gazzo, Michelle Buzz, Jauregui, Aoki, Justin Gammella, with the production handled by Gazzo and Aoki. It charted on Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs at number nine. The music video was released in January 2018. In March 2018, a three-remix package was released with remixes from Aoki, Alan Walker and Garmiani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Without Me (Halsey song)</span> 2018 single by Halsey

"Without Me" is a song by American singer Halsey, released on October 4, 2018. Halsey wrote the song with Brittany Amaradio, Amy Allen, and Louis Bell; while production was handled by Bell and Dylan Bauld. It interpolates Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" with Timberlake, Timbaland and Scott Storch credited as co-writers. It was released through Capitol Records as the lead single from Halsey's third studio album, Manic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expectations (song)</span> 2018 single by Lauren Jauregui

"Expectations" is the debut solo single by American singer and songwriter Lauren Jauregui, released on October 24, 2018. It is a guitar-driven R&B song written by Jauregui and produced by Kid Harpoon, about an unresponsive relationship and the assumptions that people have and try to change about them. Jauregui first performed the track in June 2018, as the opening act for Halsey's Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Tour in Latin America. "Expectations" received positive reviews from critics who praised Harpoon's production and Jauregui's musicianship. The song's black-and-white music video was creatively directed and co-edited by Jauregui, and portrays two opposing facets of the artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Be Kind</span> 2020 single by Marshmello and Halsey

"Be Kind" is a song by American producer Marshmello and American singer Halsey. It was released as a single through Joytime Collective, Astralwerks, and Capitol Records on May 1, 2020. "Be Kind" peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Be Kind" peaked at number one in Flanders (Belgium), within the top 20 of the charts in Australia, Canada, Lithuania, Malaysia, Singapore, and Wallonia (Belgium), as well as the top 40 of the charts in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The song appears on Halsey's eighth extended play (EP) and first compilation EP, Collabs (2020) and the deluxe version of her third studio album, Manic (2020).

References

  1. ↑ Villa, Lucas (May 30, 2017). "Listen: Halsey and Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui take on a girlfriend gone cold on 'Strangers'". AXS . Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ Wass, Mike (April 28, 2017). "Halsey's 'hopeless fountain kingdom' Tracklist Reveals Surprise Features". Idolator . Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  3. ↑ Wass, Mike (May 17, 2017). "Halsey & Lauren Jauregui's Duet Is 'A Love Song For The LGBT Community'". Idolator. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  4. ↑ Gaca, Anna (May 25, 2017). "Halsey – 'Strangers' (ft. Lauren Jauregui)". Spin . Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Halsey & Lauren Jauregui Sing About Ex-girlfriends On Sexy 'Strangers' Song: Listen". Fuse. May 26, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ Weiss, Dan (June 7, 2017). "Halsey – Hopeless Fountain Kingdom". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Halsey & Lauren Jauregui's 'Strangers' Is a Long-Overdue Bisexual Milestone In Mainstream Music". Billboard . June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  8. ↑ Lee, Christina (May 26, 2017). "Halsey & Lauren Jauregui's Epic "Strangers" Arrives: Listen". Idolator. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Lauren Jauregui And Halsey Land Major Spotify Milestone". MTV (UK and Ireland). March 14, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  10. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom – Halsey". AllMusic . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  11. ↑ ""Strangers" Is Halsey's Best Song". Spin. May 26, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  12. ↑ St. Asaph, Katherine (June 7, 2017). "Halsey: hopeless fountain kingdom". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  13. ↑ Billboard Staff (December 13, 2017). "Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Halsey & Lauren Jauregui's 'Strangers' Is a Long-Overdue Bisexual Milestone in Mainstream Music". Billboard. June 6, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  15. ↑ Russell, Erica (February 13, 2019). "30 Lesbian Love Songs: Women Singing About Women (Updated 2019)". Billboard . Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  16. ↑ Bell, Sadie (June 9, 2017). "Lauren Jauregui Joins Halsey for 'Today Show' Performance". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Halsey Brings Out Lauren Jauregui For 'Strangers' During iHeartSummer '17". 103.5 KTU. June 10, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  18. ↑ Chochrek, Ella (2018-06-02). "Halsey Goes for White-Hot Look in Crop Top and Dr. Martens on 'Good Morning America'". Footwear News. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  19. ↑ Halsey (2017). Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (liner notes). Astralwerks. 2557562385.
  20. ↑ "ARIA Chart Watch #423". auspOp. June 3, 2017. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  21. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201851,52 into search. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 22, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  23. ↑ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 5, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  24. ↑ "BillboardPH Hot 100 - June 19". Billboard Philippines . June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Halsey feat. Lauren Jauregui – Strangers". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  27. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201723 into search. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Halsey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Brazilian single certifications – Halsey – Strangers" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  30. ↑ "American single certifications – Halsey – Strangers". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved September 6, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.