Halsey - The Girl In The Tower (2026)
I think The Girl in the Tower works because Halsey actually gives me a reason to hear these songs live.
This isn't just a louder version of the catalogue. The whole show has been pushed towards alternative and industrial rock, and several songs feel substantially different from their studio versions.
Nightmare is an excellent opener because the aggression is immediate, and I am not a woman, I'm a god naturally becomes even heavier with a live band. Easier than Lying is probably one of the first real highlights for me because the drums and guitars give it an urgency that fits Halsey's voice perfectly.
I also really like Dog Years and You Asked for This. Both already had a strong alternative identity, but the live versions feel more physical and less controlled.
Experiment On Me is probably the heaviest moment and one of the best performances. The growled vocals actually work, and I like that Halsey doesn't treat the rock aesthetic as a costume.
But Closer may be the most important track here. I have no particular need for another version of the original song, but turning it into a proper rock track gives it a completely different energy. That is exactly what I want from a live album.
The same applies to Without Me. Starting more quietly and then bringing in the electric guitars gives the song a dynamic shape that I find more interesting than simply reproducing the studio production.
The Lighthouse is another highlight because it slows everything down without losing the darkness, while Gasoline works extremely well near the end because the older song finally sounds connected to Halsey's current musical identity.
And Lonely is the Muse is the obvious closer. It has the weight, melody and emotional release the whole show has been building towards.
My main reservation is that this is a concert film assembled from several festival performances rather than one complete night. The editing helps the narrative, but I lose a little of the spontaneity and continuity I normally want from a live record.
Not every song is equally transformed either. Several tracks from If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power were already written in this language, so the live versions sometimes give me more intensity rather than a genuinely new perspective.
Still, I think this is a very strong live release. The four-part structure gives the set a real arc, Halsey's performance is excellent, and most importantly some of the older pop songs become much more interesting once they are pulled into this darker rock world.
Pros
- Several genuine reinterpretations rather than simple live reproductions
- Experiment On Me, The Lighthouse, Gasoline and Lonely is the Muse are excellent
- Halsey's aggressive rock performance feels completely convincing
Cons
- Compiled from multiple festival dates rather than one continuous concert
- Some If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power tracks change less substantially
- A few older songs are improved more by the arrangement than by the songwriting itself
Genre: Alternative Rock
Country: US
Final Verdict: 74% (Very Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 17th / 662
Highlight: Dog Years
Made me think of:
Yungblud
Poppy
Paramore
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