On the road to BADLANDS

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a few things, never limited to, a music lover and outright feminist. The idea of a girl being the face of a hurricane that's bringing change to an often male-driven industry gives me the greatest of satisfaction. There's a name that has had a strong presence on my radar in the past two years; Ashley Frangipane. This girl is quite the storm, and she can't be tamed. She's a treasure, and I hope you're all ready for her world domination.

I could go on talking about how amazing this girl is, but this post would be awfully long, so I'll try to shorten my praise.

If Ashley Frangipane doesn't ring a bell, then Halsey might. She's been that enticing vocalist filling your eardrums; she's the one you can't get enough of--or at least soon enough... you'll be hooked. It didn't hit me how proud I could possibly be of someone who is virtually a stranger to me until I heard her latest release (not so new if you've been around) "New Americana" on KROQ while driving to work. I was driving to work when I heard it--I heard Halsey. I had to make sure my aux chord wasn't on and that it was indeed the radio. I started slapping my steering wheel and letting everyone on my contact's list know who was on the radio. Yes, I was also that person who lowered their car window to let anyone and everyone know to tune into KROQ right then and there. I just couldn't believe it. Everyone looks to these other female names and talks about how amazing it is to see them dominate the music business, and it is. But, here's a big but, Halsey does things differently. I had been waiting to have this moment. I mean this was the girl who I just related to more, we're the same age, and I felt like she understood my frustration with breaking the barriers. I was just beyond ecstatic.

The girl I found myself proud of and who had me hooked with her passion was on the radio. She's just refreshing in the sense that she has this rawness to her music where you, as the listener, understand that her music is her not some ploy for relevance or an award. It's her craft, her passion, and she won't hold back talking about sex or anything that may be taboo. She doesn't speak up when it's appropriate or care to say what you want to hear. She does what she does when it feels right, and I respect that.

There's this idea that people like to throw around themselves, the age old "you get what you see," but it's never been so true as it is with Halsey. She's not here to write music for awards or say what would be more beneficial. She's just a girl and yet there's something breath taking about coming across with a force like her. I couldn't possibly sum this girl up. She has no fucks to give, and I love that. I love that she speaks her mind and doesn't allow fame to make her appear unreachable. She's here to stay, immortalizing her memories and messages in her lyrics, becoming one with the music.

So, as I start to talk in circles, let me tell you she is worth the listen. As girls, we're taught to hide our bodies or we're perceived as sluts/whores or are asking for the wrong attention. We're taught that it's okay for men to write these songs about sexual promiscuity, even applauding it, but don't allow girls to talk about themselves the same way. We're conditioned to bring each other down. Well, this girl is part of the musical revolution showing that it's okay to be yourself. It's okay to wear your underwear and talk about one night stands. It's okay to talk about sex and your wants. You're just as human as men. She shows that feminism doesn't just reside with one type of girl or race. She proves that feminism isn't just a trend, it's a movement, and she's one of the heads at the top of this revolution.

As her album release gets closer to it's release date in August, which you all need to get--go click on the image of Badlands above to preorder it on iTunes. I created a OTRT Badlands Spotify playlist, where I'll be adding songs to get me through the wait until the album release; check that out below.

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