A short while ago, CelebMix speculated that Halsey’s new album title was going to be “Manic” and bang on, we were right! The songstress took to social media to reveal the title of her new album, accompanied by an announcement for the release of a new single called “Graveyard”. This new track follows Nightmare which was released on May 17, 2019.
Graveyard
Out Now https://t.co/QPE4bs5dZH pic.twitter.com/ed2JITZ1xV— h (@halsey) September 13, 2019
While “Graveyard” might be a follow-up single to Nightmare, there is a mountain of difference between the sonic, lyrical, and thematic composition of the track. While Nightmare was Halsey’s angst towards a society that tends to project its rules, thoughts, and stereotypes on women, Graveyard is personal.
Basing the song on soft guitar melodies, “Graveyard” gives a personal vibe of an acoustic single but the mood soon changes as Halsey helps us navigate through the dangers of self-less love. This track also sees the singer go beyond vocals to convey the message. The lyrical climax is supported by her breathy gasp, hinting towards the warnings she missed or rather ignored.
Written by Halsey, Amy Allen, Jon Bellion, Jordan K. Johnson, Louis Bell, Mark Williams and Stefan Johnson, the lyrics are deep and confessional. Laced with different metaphors, we witness a poetess singing her pain as she plays around the idea of “digging your own grave”. The “graveyard” in the song stands for her lover’s difficult times but also her death as she follows them while “butterfly” symbolizes anxiety.
“Graveyard” is an internal monologue of an individual who is sharing her enlightenment with her listeners but compared to her last few singles, Halsey’s new song has the “hint of bubblegum pop”, giving it a sonic contrast.
The track accompanies a time-lapse video of Halsey working through her self-portrait which is also the artwork of her new album.
What do you think about the single? Share your thoughts via tweet @CelebMix.