Halsey’s latest release, the music video for their song Lucky, has created quite a stir on the internet. Britney Spears holds some credit for it, though mostly it’s the merit of the Him & I singer and her bravery. For context, Halsey’s Lucky — based off the structure of the chorus and beat is directly inspired from Britney Spears’ 2000 song of the same name.
While Britney’s Lucky speaks of having something amiss in her life despite seemingly having it all, the verses in Halsey’s reimagined version are personalised to express their own personal struggles. Halsey of course, took permission from Britney before coming up with their own version.
That being said, the song recently made headlines owing to Britney’s ‘alleged’ strongly-worded reaction to the music video, as per which she felt “harassed, violated and bullied” and was discussing how to take this matter up legally. The post was soon deleted and replaced with a claim that it wasn’t really Britney who posted that and that the 2000s pop icon actually loves Halsey. Halsey replied rather kindly, calling Britney an evergreen inspiration and seemingly putting to rest what could have been a major pop controversy.
Coming back to Halsey’s Lucky, it deserves all the attention in the world.
Halsey bares their heart open with Lucky
Earler this year, Halsey opened up about being diagnosed with SLE and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder back in 2022. While both conditions are being consistently tended to, or have entered remission, the singer will likely carry the diagnoses for the rest of their life. The music video for Lucky presents an interlude between Halsey’s own often chaotic life as a popstar against the quiet life of a young girl looking up to her. Directed by Gia Coppola, the Lucky music video also carries a poignant scene — being presumed by the internet to be the trigger point for Britney’s alleged outburst — wherein a broken Halsey stares woefully at the mirror before taking off their pink wig to reveal a shaved head. The scene then cuts to her treatment.
The lyrics playing against the backdrop go “I shaved my head four times because I wanted to and then I did it one more time cause I got sick / I thought I changed so much nobody would notice shit, and no one did. Then I left the doctor’s office full of tears / Became a single mom at my premiere / I told everybody I was fine for a whole damn year, and that’s the biggest lie of my career”. This song isn’t really about finding love outside themselves but rather trying to reach for some of it within.
More than a listen, this one’s definitely worth a watch.
Before Lucky, it was The End
Lucky is not the only song in which Halsey has directly referenced their health battles. Before this, it was June release, The End. If you’re wondering about the premise of this song, an excerpt from the lyrics goes, “When I met you, I thought I was damaged goods / Had a fucked up childhood / And there’s poison in my brain and in my blood / If you knew it was the end of the world, could you love me like a child?”. The End is a more direct reference to Halsey’s attempts at finding love, even as they cope with debilitating health conditions. The song carries multiple references to the love in their life potentially having a positive impact on their physical health, giving them hope to be completely healed one day.
If you need some more heartbreak fodder and convincing, the final verse for the song goes, “When I met you, I said I would never die / But the joke was always mine ’cause I’m racing against time / And I know it’s not the end of the world, but could you pick me up at eight? / ‘Cause my treatment starts today”.
Have you watched the Lucky music video yet?