Step right up and marvel at
The Great Impersonator
, wherein pop chameleon
Halsey
finds inspiration in some of the most influential artists of her time, assembling a rich collage of sounds that balances her confessional singer/songwriter vulnerability with artistic fearlessness. Building upon 2021's revelatory opus
If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
,
Impersonator
continues in that exploratory vein with the help of the album's conceptual conceit. Adopting the personas of her favorite icons through the decades (and even her 2014 self),
crafts faithful sound-alikes on the more exciting cuts, while absorbing the energy of others on less obvious selections. Indeed, part of the fun is trying to hear how
chose to honor her inspirations, providing a fascinating view into her creative process. Even without peeking at the notes, some are immediately apparent:
Stevie Nicks
twirls through the instantly familiar "Panic Attack";
PJ Harvey
slinks out of the dark on the dissonant "Dog Years";
Britney Spears
' bittersweet lyrics are interpolated on the
Monica
-sampling ode "Lucky"; and
Bruce Springsteen
leaps from the "I'm On Fire"-esque "Letter to God (1983)." Meanwhile,
Joni Mitchell
's patient guitar work and sparse vocal harmony inform "The End";
Dolores O'Riordan
's signature "doo doo doo" vocalizations pepper the coming-of-age rocker "Ego";
Dolly Parton
stomps along to the charming, down-home jam "Hometown"; and Starman-era
Bowie
drifts through the lonely, piano-backed "Darwinism" (which sounds like it could have been on
If I Can't Have Love
¿).
Kate Bush
(the shimmering pop gem "I Never Loved You"),
Cher
("Letter to God [1974]"),
Linda Ronstadt
("I Believe in Magic"),
Fiona Apple
(the jazzy, trip-hoppy haunter "Arsonist"), and
Evanescence
's
Amy Lee
(the dramatic rocker "Lonely Is the Muse") are also along for the ride.
Digging deeper, less obvious allusions buffer the journey, like on the touching "Letter to God (1998)" -- which incorporates vocal samples of
's child in the spirit of the baby coos from
Aaliyah
's "Are You That Somebody?" -- and "Life of the Spider (Draft)," an unflinching, unpolished piano confessional inspired by
Tori Amos
. On an album of standout moments and exciting surprises, the delightful title track -- inspired by
Björk
-- is an absolute highlight, fluttering along harp trills colored by electric guitar riffs, and punctuated by playful, sprite-like vocalizations unlike anything
's ever sung before. If that seems like a lot, it is. However, with such variation in styles and approach,
reveals something new with each listen, it's a rewarding experience for longtime fans and curious newcomers alike. Mining her musical upbringing and honoring her myriad inspirations,
comes full circle, connecting her own youth and innocence with intimate adult ruminations on parenthood, aging, and legacy. It's an engrossing homage to the figures that made her into the artist -- and inspiration -- that she has become herself. ~ Neil Z. Yeung