Sziget 2024 sees Halsey bold: more fearless and more determined than ever

Tonight's gig is a giddy showcase of Halsey's gut-led brilliance. Words: Ali Shutler. Photos: Frances Beach.

From the epic drama of 'Hopeless Fountain Kingdom' to the industrial snarl of 'If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power' by way of several chart-topping pop megahits, Halsey's career has been one of freedom and rebellion. "I like doing things my way," they grin onstage at Sziget Festival, reminding the crowd that even if tonight's headline set is the first show of a new era, they still don't know much of anything about their upcoming fifth album.

They did recently explain, "I want to have fun, but I made a lot of this art when I was suffering", and this show feels like an extension of that. From the opening, celebratory rage of 'Nightmare' to the country-tinged smirk of 'Without Me', it's all about finding joy through struggle.

The defiant 'Hurricane' is a fierce reminder that "you don't belong to anyone but yourself' while 'Graveyard' is a pleading, open-hearted moment of faith and vulnerability. The whole thing is given an extra emotional heft, considering Halsey's recent battle with illness. "Last year, I thought I might never get to do this again," she admits.

Their new album was created in the shadow of that fear, but from the tracks she's released so far, that uncertainty has been used as fuel for something far more powerful. The Y2K pop-infused 'Lucky' gets its live debut tonight, with Halsey wrestling with the vampiric nature of fame via one of the most sugary-sounding songs she's ever released.

"For every Halsey pop song, there's a Halsey rock song to match," she promises a little later. "I like to do both, so I feel like I shouldn't have to choose." They then play a 30-second clip of a new track that builds on the industrial menace of 'If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power' but adds in a new, urgent punk bite.

Likewise, EDM-fuelled banger 'Closer' is twisted into a forward-facing 00s alt-rock anthem. "Bet some of you hated that," she grins. There's a real sense of play to tonight's show.

Halsey readily dives between the brooding fury of 'The Lighthouse', the giddy romance of 'Honey' and the swaggering 'I Am Not A Woman, I'm A God', with the crowd following every leap. "How many of you guys are in happy, loving relationships?" she asks at one point. "That's super cool, but fuck you guys. This song is for everyone else," they add before a soaring 'Bad At Love'.

'Experiment On Me' offers communal catharsis while the closing 'Without Me' takes that energy even further, with Halsey in the crowd embracing fans.

Tonight's gig is a giddy showcase of Halsey's gut-led brilliance, but it also teases what's to come. At one point, they reflect on the bravery and confidence they had when they first started making music. Sure, they've never exactly shied away from doing whatever they wanted, but tonight sees Halsey bold, more fearless and more determined than ever.

We might not know the exact details of Hal5ey, but it feels like it's shaping up to be their most liberated era yet.