After claiming in a series of tweets and TikToks on Sunday (May 22) and Monday morning (May 23) that her label was allegedly blocking the release of a new single in order to test its TikTok virality, Halsey continued to tell the story of the as-yet-unreleased song in yet more tweets Monday afternoon.
The second tranche of tweets described the origins of the track reportedly titled “So Good,” as well as the video concept and her label’s reaction to the tweetstorm. When a fan insisted she drop the tune herself, the singer explained that Capitol Records owns the master and that they’re still under contract, which ties their hands. Not for nothing, though, “the music video is literally already done lmao like,” they added.
In a TikTok video posted over the weekend entitled “I’m Tired,” the singer stared silently into the camera while a message filled the screen about her struggle to be heard. “Basically, I have a song that I love that wanna release ASAP,” the singer wrote, without naming the track, which another video revealed is called “So Good.”
“But my record label won’t let me,” they claimed. “And my record company is saying that I can’t release it unless they can fake a viral moment on TikTok,” they added, singing along to the wistful pop ballad featuring the lyrics, “When you left I bet you held her body closer/ And I was hoping you would tell her it was over/ You’re all I think about in every way I look/ I know it’s bad but we could be so good.”
A Capitol Music Group spokesperson responded to Halsey’s posts in a statement sent to Billboard on Monday morning. “Our belief in Halsey as a singular and important artist is total and unwavering.” it read. “We can’t wait for the world to hear their brilliant new music.”
Halsey said the song was written in January and that she had to “re-produce it a few times to get the label on board.” The current state, according to the singer, is that it is mixed, mastered and has been ready to go for over a month. The song, they said, was about boyfriend Alev Aydin — with whom she shares a child — and that it partially tells “the story of how we went from meeting and keeping touch randomly for years to realizing we were each others person all along. Right person wrong time type of song.”
The other news was that there was also a locked-and-loaded video concert that was “camp horror” in the vein of the tongue-in-cheek Scream slasher franchise, “with the killer calling everyone and a reveal on ‘will you please pick up the f—ing phone’ with a bunch of guest stars.” Most frustrating for Halsey, was that her TikTok about the label reportedly wanting to find a TikTok angle to virally break the had already gone viral itself.
“Honestly idk the tiktok is already viral + I still don’t have a release date,” she said when a fan asked how they could help expedite matters. “I would say just do what you guys normally are amazing at doing when I announce a song (under better circumstances). They haven’t given me a date and I wanna release it ASAP so that’s really the hold up.”
When country singer/songwriter Maren Morris weighed in, offering that artists who work with their labels can “listen to algorithm ‘virality’ data,” but also that singers get to criticize a “one-size-fits-all grip on our art. Also, we created the ‘sound’ their trying to make go viral, soooooo.” Halsey said they “100%” agreed with that point and noted that she values the expertise of her label family, “but surely we can have an opinion on the entry point of consumption they’re trying to enforce? A suggestion is great, an ultimatum? Not so much.”
Asked if they had any further comment on Halsey’s ongoing Twitter statements, the Capitol spokesperson referred to the earlier statement.
In a nod to their mounting frustration and a comment about how everyone has to do things they don’t like at their jobs, Halsey said it was deeper than that. “It’s not about making the tiktoks I already make tiktoks!” they said. “They are saying if they don’t reach some imaginary goalpost of views or virality than they won’t give me a release date at all. I’m not claiming to be oppressed! just saying that all not all marketing methods are universal.”
Currently in the midst of her “Love and Peace” tour, Halsey said they are considering playing the song live before it’s released.
Check out Halsey’s tweets below.
im thinking about it tbh https://t.co/ybbWobnVde
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
it’s not about making the tiktoks I already make tiktoks! They are saying if they don’t reach some imaginary goalpost of views or virality than they won’t give me a release date at all. I’m not claiming to be oppressed! just saying that all not all marketing methods are universal https://t.co/TtblycBOi0
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
there was a music video concept that was camp horror like Scream with the killer calling everyone and a reveal on “will you please pick up the fucking phone” with a bunch of guest stars 😭 https://t.co/mAECiKWijN
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
100% I agree. I value the expertise and work of all the amazing people at my label. There are so many talented professionals there. But surely we can have an opinion on the entry point of consumption they’re trying to enforce?! A suggestion is great, an ultimatum? Not so much. https://t.co/N3NA52bOd0
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
it’s about alev 🥲 part of the story of how we went from meeting and keeping touch randomly for years to realizing we were each others person all along. Right person wrong time type of song. https://t.co/QUplTSM3y9
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
honestly idk the tiktok is already viral + I still don’t have a release date. I would say just do what you guys normally are amazing at doing when I announce a song (under better circumstances). They haven’t given me a date and I wanna release it ASAP so that’s really the hold up https://t.co/fu2GfCEBSI
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
I wrote it in January. and then I had to re-produce it a few times to get the label on board. But in its current state? Mixed and mastered and ready to drop? Over a month. https://t.co/NA9lT6Pvj3
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
the music video is literally already done lmao like.
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
no I’m in a contract! https://t.co/Pu0OKOrt3H
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
I can’t they own the master https://t.co/9s8dari4KX
— h (@halsey) May 23, 2022
