“I can’t make an album right now, I’m not allowed to,” the singer said through tears during an Apple Music interview.
Halsey is opening up about her struggles behind the scenes.
During an emotional sit-down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on Sept. 18, the 30-year-old pop star revealed that she cannot release new music due to restrictions from her label, Columbia Records.
The singer said the decision comes after Columbia deemed the performance of her 2024 album The Great Impersonator a disappointment, despite what many fans and critics consider a strong showing.
“I can’t make an album right now, I’m not allowed to,” Halsey said, fighting back tears. “It’s the reality because The Great Impersonator didn’t perform the way they wanted it to.”
The Great Impersonator debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and sold 100,000 copies in its first week. Still, Columbia reportedly expected numbers closer to her 2020 album Manic, which sold 239,000 units in its debut.
“If I’m being honest with you, the album sold 100,000 f—— copies first week,” Halsey said. “That’s a pretty big first week, especially for an artist who hasn’t had a hit in a long time.”
Adding to her frustration, Halsey explained that the Great Impersonator tour has been the biggest of her career, with sold-out dates and record-breaking ticket sales.
Still, she said, Columbia executives aren’t satisfied. “They want Manic numbers from me,” she shared. “I can’t do that every single time. It should be good enough that I do it once in a while. But it’s not.”
Halsey, who rose to fame with her debut album Badlands in 2015 and later topped charts with hits like “Closer” alongside The Chainsmokers, reflected on the pressures of being compared to her past success.
“It would be considered a success for most artists,” she said of her latest album’s sales. “But it’s a failure in the context of the kind of success I’ve had previously.”
This isn’t the first time Halsey has faced tension with a record company. In 2022, she called out Capitol Records for allegedly refusing to release her single “So Good” unless it went viral on TikTok. That dispute led her to part ways with the label before signing with Columbia in 2023 — a move that, at the time, felt like a fresh start.
But the singer’s latest revelations suggest the same pressures exist across the industry.
The candid interview also marked the 10th anniversary of Badlands, her breakthrough debut. Halsey’s milestone is bittersweet: while fans celebrate a decade of her music, she says corporate expectations are stalling her ability to create new work.
Her vulnerable confession has sparked conversations online, with many fans defending the album’s success and criticizing Columbia’s decision.
Halsey’s next musical chapter remains uncertain, but her passionate fanbase is making it clear that they’ll be ready to listen whenever she can share it.
