4 stars

Released on Aug. 17, 2018, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” an adaptation of Jenny Han’s novel, took Netflix by storm and wowed fans with its charm, cliche teenage love and heartfelt emotion. The sequel, titled “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You,” was just released on Feb. 12. It follows main character Lara Jean through her last year of high school and her journey through love, loss and growing up.

Jean, played by Korean-American actress Lana Condor, uses personal confession, humor and honesty to capture the essence of her character as well as make light of the serious events that happen to her. Jean’s wry, witty and lovable personality is what drew me into the first movie and has continued to make me root for Jean in the second film. Although it originally sounded like just another cheesy highschool chick-flick, much to my surprise, I found myself glued to the screen for both the first and second films.

The sequel included plot twists, even more laughs and Jean’s development into an emerging adult. Seen as a shy sister and nerd, Jean seems out of her element when she starts dating Peter, one of the most popular and outgoing boys in the school. But her awkwardness make Jean a realistic and relatable character.

The second film brings in a variety of new actors, who bring fresh and interesting elements to the story. Actor Jordan Fisher plays the character of John Ambrose, Jean’s middle school crush who received one of her accidentally-released love letters in the first film, in the sequel. He returns to town years later to volunteer and runs into Jean at a retirement home. This, mixed with all of the drama surrounding Jean’s new relationship with Peter, turns her world upside down and has the whole school talking.

The film is realistic, relatable, humorous and romantic in a way that isn’t over-the-top or entirely expected. Jean is honest and never embarrassed to be herself. The film encourages teens to embrace what they have been given and to celebrate what makes them unique. The sequel also includes a scene where Jean and her sister Kitty, played by Anna Cathcart, celebrate their heritage and dress up in traditional Korean hanboks for the Lunar New Year. Jean gives up all her other obligations to be with her family and celebrate in their tradition. Jean, along with every other character in this story, is unapologetically herself, which sends a positive message to teens and adults of every age. 

“To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love You” was a sequel that took me by surprise. The plotline continued Jean’s story while also creating many new events and introducing new characters that kept things fresh and unexpected.

Produced and directed by Michael Fimognari, the film, with a run time of one hour and 42 minutes, is available on Netflix.

During the week of Feb. 10-14, various University of Maine groups and organizations got together to hold the annual Winter Carnival. With ice sculptures, reindeer, hot cocoa, a bonfire, sledding and much more, the carnival brought hundreds of UMaine students out to celebrate winter and helping to spread warmth during the snowy months.

Monday’s events, occurring from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., kicked off the Carnival. Monday hosted Fresh Check Day, which took place inside the Memorial Union, and a snow sculpture contest on the Mall. 

“Winter Carnival is an amazing tradition on the University of Maine campus. The Center for Student Involvement put together a committee of students, staff and campus partners to represent different areas of expertise to ensure there was something for everyone to enjoy and participate in,” Jennifer Desmond, coordinator for leadership development at the Center for Student Involvement, said. “When looking at the calendar for the spring semester, we felt strongly that we wanted to collaborate with the Mind Spa and combine with Fresh Check Day, a national program that provides an uplifting mental health fair. February can be a long month for students on campus, and we wanted to keep student needs at the forefront of our planning.” 

One highlight of the week was the reindeer petting zoo. Students had the opportunity to take pictures and pet reindeer that were grazing in the snow on the Mall. Lines of students gathered around waiting for their turn to pet and see the animals. Winter Carnival week also included a Trivia and Casino Night, Valentine’s Happy Hour, Crockpot Challenge (with free samples), Free Money Game Show and improv performance.

“In addition to getting involved on campus, leadership opportunities are an essential component in a student’s development. I’m so impressed with the student’s involved in planning Winter Carnival, whether that be Trivia hosted by the Senior Class Council and [UMaine Student Government], Casino Night with [Campus Activity Board] (CAB) and [Interfraternity Council] (IFC) and Panhel[lenic Council], snow sledding with [the] Residence Hall Association or a show hosted by Improv Insanity,” Desmond said. “ These groups have demonstrated the great community we have at UMaine, and I’m thankful for their commitment and leadership in helping other students connect with and find resources.” 

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, the school organized a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Collins Center for the Arts. Students could sign up to donate blood and learn about other volunteer opportunities to help families and people in need. On Thursday, students participated in the Winter Olympics and a bonfire, from 3-5 p.m. on the Mall, and in Casino Night, which was held in the North Pod of the Memorial Union from 8-10 p.m.

“I was looking forward to Casino Night, sponsored by the Campus Activities Board.  These students have been planning for this event since they attended the National Association for Campus Activities Conference in November,” Graduate Assistant for Campus Activities Mackenzie Bumpus said. “This event is another example of collaboration on campus as the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council have partnered to help put on Casino Night. Casino Night is entirely student-driven with students from CAB and IFC and Panhel[lenic Council] collaborating to host an awesome and engaging event for their peers.”

Next year the Center for Student Involvement hopes to have similar-style events and use the help and input of students on campus to continue creating unique activities. The Winter Carnival events were designed to help heal the winter blues and get students traveling to different spots on campus throughout the week to engage with peers and faculty.

“I believe becoming engaged on campus is directly related to student success.  With some new programming initiatives we have implemented on campus, such as Late Night at the U, it provides students with a safe and welcoming space to engage with their peers,” Bumpus said. “Our programs vary so that we can support as many areas of interest as possible.  I loved working with the Winter Carnival committee because of the diverse ideas that can be shared in order to provide the best experience possible for our students.”  

The Center for Student Involvement is located in Room 145 of the Memorial Union. If you are interested in planning events on campus and getting involved, you can reach out to  um.getinvolved@maine.edu. 

On Monday, Feb. 3 the Collins Center for the Performing Arts hosted the revival of the original Broadway show “The Color Purple.” The musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival in 2016 and the performance was heavily anticipated at the University of Maine. 

The musical is based on Alice Walker’s novel “The Color Purple,” written in 1982. Walker’s novel received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1983, and was later adapted into a film in 1985, and then a musical. Marsha Norman wrote the script for the theater adaptation.

The story follows a woman named Celie who is living in Georgia in the early to mid-1900s. Growing up in the American south as a woman of color, Celie recounts her struggles as an African American woman through her telling of events and letters she writes to God and her sister Nellie, starting from when she becomes pregnant at age 14. Her father Alphonso, is the main antagonist in the story who continually harasses and abuses Celie, getting her pregnant two times and abducting the children she has. Celie ends up running away and chasing after a man named Mister, and drama unfolds from there.

Filled with emotion and personal testimony, both the novel and play have made their mark in the arts because of the relevance and importance of Walker’s message. Themes of racial oppression, poverty, friendship and love are present throughout the musical, and in its lyrics.

The musical ran on Broadway in New York City from 2005-08 and was originally produced by Oprah Winfrey. It returned in 2015 for a revival and has since been performed on Broadway tours and in other theaters.

The show’s costumes were vibrant and fit for the 20th-century setting, including a traditional-style dress worn in the American South. The music and lyrics for the musical adaptation were written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. The music is soulful, powerful and showcases the vibrancy of 1930s life in Georgia and all of the struggles and pain that often came along with it. The original Broadway cast included LaChanze as Celie, Brandon Victor Dixon, Felicia P. Fields and Renee Elise Goldsberry.

Before the performance, William Yellow Robe Jr. hosted a lecture and Q&A session in the Bodwell Lounge located in the Collins Center. Yellow Robe is a playwright who discussed background information on the play, as well as outlined what to expect during the performance. 

Tickets were $71 for orchestra and $49 for balcony, but with a Mainecard the prices were reduced to $63 and $35. The University of Maine brings a variety of traveling tour companies and shows to campus, and you can visit UMaine.edu/spa for a current list of all past and upcoming events.

3 stars

Released on Jan. 31 by RCA Records, pop artist Kesha’s new album “Tonight” features 16 songs. Confessional, raw and confident, Kesha unleashes a free side of herself that has never been seen in her music before. This is Kesha’s fourth studio album and precedes her 2020 High Road Tour which will start in April. 

The first song on the album titled “Tonight” sets a unique, free and uplifting tone for the rest of the album. Kesha sings about refusing to be held back and tied down by societal standards, and always being excited to go out and have a good time. The second song of the album, “My Own Dance,” is about Kesha following her own path and refers back to a time in her life when she was younger, as she sings, “woke up this morning feeling myself / hungover like hell like it’s 2012.” This song, as well as others on the album, are a flashback to her upbeat 2010 album “Animal.”

While the auto-tuned high notes and dance/pop beat were signature for Kesha’s teenage years and early adult career, these features still remain in her older and more sophisticated songs. She plays between still being wild and young, while also adopting a more reserved and serious side when she includes certain lyrics about finding her faith in God and being thankful for how far she’s come. The album is an interesting mix of fresh, new ideas that Kesha shares as well as her usual party anthem tracks that made her famous. 

In her song “Raising Hell” that features Big Freedia, Kesha celebrates her freedom and enjoying her life as an adult who can make her own choices. This song in particular is nostalgic of her younger years. With an EDM and dance sound, this is one of the most upbeat and production-heavy songs in the album. There are references to heaven and God throughout the song, and Kesha makes sure to include that she “doesn’t wanna go to heaven without raising hell.”

One of the slowest songs on the album, titled “Shadow,” is a heartfelt testimony to old memories and to Kesha living her life how she wants despite other people’s judgments and setbacks. Being 32, Kesha admits that she isn’t the same woman that she was in her early days, but still enjoys partying and having fun amidst furthering her career and working hard.

Kesha has been singing since 2005 when she was signed to a label at age 18, but she hasn’t released an album since her 2017 project “Rainbow.” The cover of this album is chromatically similar to the colors used in the last, with an orange and pink wax melted figurine of her head at the center of the cover. Although interesting, the imagery doesn’t connect that well with the free-spirited nature of the album, and it might be a little too simplistic for Kesha’s signature over-the-top style. 

Overall, Kesha’s music and performances continue to impress and excite younger fans who enjoy having songs to dance and sing along to. This being said, Kesha’s autotuned voice and inclusion of almost a dozen songs about partying and getting crazy still make me yearn to hear a softer and more laid-back side of her in her music.

The University of Maine has a diverse variety of clubs and organizations available to join on campus. With hundreds to choose from and something for everyone’s interest, UMaine’s Student Government (UMSG) is an organization for leaders and students who wish to be heavily involved. What’s a day in the life of a UMSG member like?

Vice President of Student Organizations and fourth-year political science and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies student Taylor Cray works with UMSG-recognized clubs and organizations to strengthen the bond between them and Student Government. UMSG helps to provide marketing, contact information, connections and funding for these organizations. They also grant recognition to new groups on campus.

“Student government’s role is to bring together students who have a unified passion for helping other students and who want a leadership role,” Cray said. “We also provide funding and reallocate the student activity fee funding to clubs and organizations that benefit students. Because it is student money, there are a lot of rules for how that money is spent, and we give it back to the students as much as possible.”

On a weekly basis, UMSG holds multiple committee, Senate, cabinet and executive committee meetings. Student Entertainment, Student Organization Committee and Services Committee are just some of the different committees within UMSG that help make sure there is student representation and inclusivity on campus. UMSG holds it’s executive board meetings at 5 p.m. every week before Senate meetings, where students who have applied to Senate meet and discuss UMSG business. The president and vice president of the Senate meet weekly with the Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Robert Dana and other UMaine faculty. 

“Many of the committees work on smaller projects with UMaine staff to help review the conduct code and other school policies to make them as beneficial as possible for the student body,” Cray said. “We do a lot of work on campus to represent certain things, try to represent as many students as we can while being fair and just.” 

The positions of the executive committee that members can apply for include president, vice president, vice president of financial affairs, student entertainment, student organizations, director of communications, fair elections practices commission chair and the board of trustees representative. Each member is elected and work together with the rest of UMSG to create a positive environment and spark change. Many of the executive members also have weekly office hours for students to come and ask questions.

“I like leadership, and I like people,” Cray said. “My favorite thing about my job is hearing people come to me with ideas and I get to spend time figuring out how to make them happen and make change on our campus. People who are frustrated with something on campus: I encourage you to do something about it.”

UMSG hosts many different events throughout the school year, including the spring concert and the Maine Day event that follows volunteering. The artist headlining the spring concert, held every spring semester in April or May and organized by UMSG, will be announced soon. UMSG also helps with the Winter Carnival, organization fairs and International Students’ Coffee Hour and brings speakers and entertainment to campus.

“In my opinion, this will be the best concert we’ve had in recent years,” said Logan Aromado, vice president of student entertainment and fourth-year mechanical engineering student. “Student [Government] will do everything in their power to make sure everyone can enjoy it and bring other events to campus in the spring semester.”

To get in touch with UMSG or submit feedback, you can contact them on the UMaine website or message their social media pages. Paperwork is available in their office, located in the Memorial Union, to become a senator, and they are always looking for more people to join and to get involved in student organizations.

On Jan. 29, Lisa Robertson, a Canadian poet, novelist and essayist returned to Orono after 17 years to present as a visiting poet for the New Writing Series. Robertson read excerpts from her new novel “The Baudelaire Fractal.”

The New Writing Series is located in the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center’s AP/PE Space, and intimate and dark theater. Since 1999, The University of Maine has brought visiting writers to the area to share their work and participate in a question and answer session with the audience. Robertson has read for the New Writing Series once before in 2003.

Introduced by Ben Friedlander, Robertson read two chapters from her novel that she wrote in just six months. Following her 1997 novel, “Debbie: An Epic,” Robertson’s second novel adds to her collection of published critical essays, poetry and other works. “The Baudelaire Fractal” will be available to purchase on Feb. 4.

“I didn’t think it would be so different when I started writing it. I love writing prose and sentences and that is part of my exploration as a poet,” Robertson said. “I kind of really treated it like a super long poem. There was a period of intense focus and I hunkered down and wrote a draft in 6 months.”

Coach House Books writes, “One morning, the poet Hazel Brown wakes up in a strange hotel room to find that she’s written the complete works of Charles Baudelaire. Surprising as this may be, it’s no more surprising to Brown than the impossible journey she’s taken to become the writer that she is. Animated by the spirit of the poète maudit, she shuttles between London, Vancouver, Paris, and the French countryside, moving fluidly between the early 1980s and the present, from rented room to rented room, all the while considering such Baudelairian obsessions as modernity, poverty, and the perfect jacket.” 

Written in chapters titled after the french poet’s poems, the novel follows Hazel Brown on her spiritual and intellectual journey through this fantastic situation. Robertson drew on earlier writings and diary entries in crafting this novel in just one year. 

“The durational aspect of novel-writing was brutal, and I didn’t expect that. I went into it with a light-hearted approach,” Robertson said. “I had this idea that I wanted to explore, and I began to explore it in the three beginning chapters.” 

Robertson read a short introductory chapter from the novel as well as one titled “Rich is Real” from later in the book. Audience members, many UMaine English faculty and students, were encouraged to share comments and ask questions after the hour-long reading.

“This was a ravishing experience of literature. It was delicious and exciting,” Stephen Wicks, a professor of English at UMaine, said.

Robertson was born in Toronto, Canada in 1961 and started writing in the 1980s. She has worked as a writer in residence at many colleges and universities, and currently spends her time traveling between France, Canada, the Netherlands and England.

The next New Writing Series event is Feb. 13 featuring Deborah Willis.

Social media influencers are becoming more popular every day. They can dictate fashion and makeup trends, spread opinions and stir up change with their great influential power and large fan following. Influencers like Jeffree Star, Kylie Jenner and David Dobrik have made their name on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms.

These creative spaces with millions of users have allowed influencers to review and create their own products while also expanding their fan base and creating a name for themselves. They also make a profit partnering with sponsors and paid promotions.

The emergence of makeup artists like Star, James Charles and Nikkie de Jager, known online as NikkieTutorials, have caused a positive uprising in the makeup community. They continue to spread self-love and body confidence to their fans. Star, a particularly well-known Youtuber, has made a name for himself by uploading video reviews of other artists’ techniques and specific brands and companies that he receives makeup from. 

Known for his catchy video names, gossip and makeup-related jokes, Star now has over 17 million subscribers on his channel and over 15 million Instagram followers. Star is known for experimentation with different hair and makeup styles and always reminds his fans that feeling beautiful and confident should be the most important thing when pursuing makeup. Videos like “Doing Makeup While Water Rafting,” and “My PINK Vault Closet Tour” show sides of Star’s personality that extend far beyond the cosmetic industry.

Along with filming makeup-related videos, Star also shares stories from his past and footage of his brand new mansion. This, along with his cute dogs, sweet (recently ex-) boyfriend and fun friend group make for a very entertaining YouTube channel and interesting person to follow.

If you are new to the makeup world and haven’t had a chance to experience the eccentricity that is Jeffree Star, you have 364 videos to sit down and dive into. Star’s latest video, “We Broke Up,” which was posted two weeks ago, has already had over 29 million views, and it shares the story of his break up with his ex-boyfriend. There are millions of comments under the video from fans sharing similar stories or words of encouragement, which shows just how powerful social media can be, and how quickly information can be shared.

Most of his other videos are either product reviews or reveals of his own makeup from his company Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Star has worked in collaboration with dozens of other makeup artists, brands like Morphe and most recently Shane Dawson to create new and excitingly-named products that are “Jeffree approved.” Star’s own line of cosmetics includes hundreds of different shade ranges and textures for his eyeshadows, highlighters, lipsticks, eyeliners, foundations and more. He prides himself on building his company from nothing and on the transformation he has made into someone he truly loves being. The positive messages and confidence boost that follow each video make every one worth watching and getting something out of.

Overall, even though influencers get a bad reputation and can use their power for evil rather than good, many of them like Jeffree Star can encourage creativity, experimentation and self-love.

On Jan. 22 in the Memorial Union, the annual Winter Organization Fair took place. Dozens of students gathered around tables in the rooms of the Union, eager to discuss involvement opportunities with interested students and answer any questions. 

“I think it’s important for people to get involved on campus because it gives them an opportunity to get into an activity where you can relieve stress and meet new people,” second-year marketing student and member of the UMaine women’s rugby team Siobhan O’Connor said. “Personally for me, doing rugby is a way that I can stay fit throughout the semester and meet really great people that not only have the same interests as me but also can help me with my classwork and spend time with me.” 

The UMaine Women’s Rugby Club team is a popular sport on campus that allows students to connect with other athletes and make lasting relationships. Rugby was one of the many club sports teams present at the organization fair; the various clubs and teams displayed banners and flyer information for students. 

Blackbearthon was another organization that attended the fair to encourage volunteers and disperse information.

“Joining clubs is a really good way to network and form friendships. One way I chose to get involved was by signing up for Blackbearthon and being a part of the planning team,” third-year social work student Mariah Davis said. “It’s a dance marathon put on by UMaine every year that benefits Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. It’s on March 28th in the Rec Center, and is a great way to make a difference on this campus and to help shape and change the lives of children in need.” 

With the hundreds of clubs and activities to choose from, UMaine offers organization fairs and events that help students decide which groups are right for them. Sports and activity clubs, as well as academic and subject-focused organizations, were also present at the event to help explain the significance of school involvement within subject departments. The Sustainability and Environment Action Division (SEAD) is a group on campus who tabled at the fair and strives to represent students and the need for environmental change. 

“Getting yourself immersed in activities on campus is almost just as important or even more important than your academics in a sense,” fourth-year economics student and President of SEAD Dalton Bouchles said. “Once you’re out of college, it’s usually the connections you make in college that matter more than your academic performance.” 

The Society of Physics Students is another academic club that represents the physics students on campus and connects them with faculty and students in related fields. With hundreds of different majors and program options, UMaine has created academic organizations that serve as representation for the students who have a passion for their major or area of interest. 

“I am involved in the Society of Physics Students as the vice president. We do outreach within our department and in the community to show people that physics can be cool, and isn’t a scary or foreign thing,” second-year physics student MaggieBeth Turcotte said. “Certain activities we do throughout the year include Super Smash Bros tournaments, Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream at our last meeting of each semester, study and review sessions for the introductory physics classes before exams, board game nights and other fun things within our department.”

UMaine has something for every interest, hobby and passion, and the Organization Fair is a great way to see all that the school has to offer. Getting involved can help relieve stress, introduce you to new people and create memories that help enhance the college experience.

“I met a lot of my friends through this club and from being involved on campus in general and putting myself out there so I can experience new things,” Turcotte said. “It’s great to have something to do besides classes, and it was nice as a first-year student to meet older students who I could learn from and connect with.” 

#YOUMaine: spirited junior shows school pride at hockey games

Michael Perry cheers in the stands as he watches the crowd go wild after another goal. Priding himself on his school spirit and game attendance, the 20-year-old is no stranger to the University of Maine ice hockey community and the comradery that goes along with it. 

“[The hockey at UMaine] is always a great atmosphere and I love listening to the band and chanting along with everyone during the games,” Perry said. 

His participation in public skate and weekly stick and puck at the Alfond Arena has also been an important part of his presence on campus. 

“It’s also a great way to meet new people,” he said of attending both the hockey games and the skating events at the Alfond. “I love to play when I can and it keeps you active and meeting new people all the time.” 

Growing up in Bow, New Hampshire, Perry came to Maine to pursue his passions and follow his love for hockey. Perry’s family has a rich history of attending UMaine, as his mom, dad, older sisters and many of his coaches and teachers in high school are all alumnae. Perry is a third-year mechanical engineering technology student and is a part of Alpha Delta fraternity, the service fraternity on campus. 

“Our fraternity is in charge of Bananas, the school mascot, and we also run a service called The Late Night Local. It’s a van that drives around from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays to pick up students who need a ride home,” Perry said. “It is especially important in the winter when it can get really cold in New England. We want to keep people safe.” 

The Late Night Local is a free volunteer service that is open to all UMaine students, and students can find a ride or get in touch with drivers by contacting one of the Alpha Delta brothers or by looking out for flyers and social media posts. Perry often participates in this service, Acadia Day in the fall semester and Adopt-A-Highway, an act that helps clean up roads in the Orono area every year. Besides being involved in his fraternity, Perry is also a part of the UMaine Blade Society, an on-campus fencing club that teaches sporting combat. The group meets on Tuesdays and Fridays and is open to anyone who is a UMaine member with health insurance. 

After graduation in May of 2021, Perry hopes to design guitars or work as a blacksmith doing hands-on projects. 

“Make a good group of friends when you get to college and find something that you love doing,” Perry said. “There is something here for everyone at this school, it’s just a matter of finding it.” 

Rating: 5 stars

Ashley Frangipane, known by her stage name Halsey, released her third album on Jan. 17, 2020. The new project, titled “Manic,” includes 16 new songs that have alternative pop fans talking. With a total run time of 47 minutes, the album doesn’t disappoint with its ballads and heartfelt confessions from the popular singer. Interesting song titles and a colorfully depressing album cover are just a few of the quirks that typically accompany Halsey’s style and music, and she never fails to impress. 

Halsey’s unique sound and her grungy-alto voice allow her pop and alternative music to reach a new dimension of emotion, drama and rawness. This album tells her fans a story over the course of the album’s 16 songs. This is well-reflected in the album cover that clearly exposes her face in a way that it has never been shown before on her covers or on social media; with this album, she wants her listeners to see her. 

The first song of the album, titled “Ashley,” sets a dramatic and starkly honest tone for the rest of the songs that follow. Halsey’s voice accompanied by beautiful instruments is what makes this song so captivating and worthy of being listened to.

“Graveyard,” which was released as a single in late September, is a more upbeat pop song that talks of pining for love, as well as Halsey’s devotion towards the people she cares about most. With its electronic and techno vibes, it adds an interesting twist into the otherwise alternative sounding mix.

“I HATE EVERYBODY,” the seventh song on the album, really captures the title of “Manic.” Halsey expresses her emotions in this song, singing of her desire to be by herself and celebrate solitude despite being a human who wants connection. The lines, “I hate everybody / Well then why can’t I go home without somebody,” capture the feeling that many young adults are faced with when they desire a relationship or companionship while also wanting to face things alone. Her honesty makes this album relatable on many levels deeper than the surface, and there is a lot of reading between-the-lines meaning with this song in particular that brings with it heavy emotion and reflection.

“3am,” the eighth song on the album, is a guitar-heavy upbeat song that’s style approaches that of country music, which is in contrast to Halsey’s typical alternative pop sound. She plays with notes and octaves in this piece and experiments with style. It is one of the most colorful and instrumental songs in the bunch.

“Without Me,” a song in the album that was originally released as a single on Oct. 4, 2018, highlights the classic and rich-sounding tone of Halsey’s voice that she makes iconic in many of her hit songs. The way she plays with her voice brings something new to the world of pop music.

There is a lot of variety in this album, and a song for every mood and feeling. Halsey brings her audience through a rollercoaster of personal testimonies and emotions, and you are able to experience everything along with her. There is something for everyone’s taste in this new album, and no two songs are the same or even similar.