Halsey is no stranger to living her life like an open book, just ask the millions of fans who follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr. The singer delivered a candid interview recently with Billboard, where she opened up about her troubled past, suicide attempt, and explained why she loves Kanye West so much.
The 21-year-old might be growing accustomed to the glitz and glam of her celebrity lifestyle now, but Halsey wasn't always a part of the one percent. She admits her parents did their best to get by during her childhood and didn't own their first home until last year. Halsey's African-American father, Chris Frangipane, currently manages a car dealership, while her Italian-American mom, Nicole Frangipane, works security at a hospital.
Her highschool years were brutal, citing her tattoos and short hair left her feeling misunderstood and the target of bullying. During her senior year, the "Colors" singer spent weeks under psychiatric supervision in a hospital after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It was around this time that Halsey contemplated taking her own life.
A photo posted by halsey (@iamhalsey) on Mar 10, 2016 at 1:25pm PST
"I had tried to kill myself," Halsey told Billboard. "I was an adolescent; I didn't know what I was doing. Because I was 17, I was still in a children's ward. Which was terrifying. I was in there with 9-year-olds who had tried to kill themselves."
The New Jersey native cites music as a changing factor in her life. In fact, the car ride home from the hospital opened up her eyes to how important music was in her life. There's one artist in the industry who she's found a deep understanding with and ultimately just loves to talk about: Kanye West. Halsey attended West's high-profile Yeezy Season 3 fashion, which ultimately turned into a listening party for his new album, The Life of Pablo.
She finds herself relating to the controversial rapper on many levels, including her feelings toward the complexities of fame. Halsey believes his eccentric ways are justified and considers West to be an innovative musician. Halsey has spoken highly about mega-producer on countless occasion and even referred to him as her "religion" in an old tweet from 2014.
"I love Kanye West," Halsey added. "I think he's a visionary. He's one of those people for whom I separate his personality from his artistry. But I also sympathize with him in a weird way, because being a musician is tough. If you were asked to talk about yourself for six hours a day you would probably go crazy, too! Which is why I give Kanye the benefit of the doubt. Being him must be exhausting."
Halsey, who says performing is an instant stress reliever for her, is currently on her Badlands Tours. Before she makes her last stop in August, get your tickets here.
