Halsey on Monday called the video for “Without Me” – the deeply personal new track she debuted earlier this month – “a reflection of a combination of relationships I’ve been in, or watched the people I love go through.”
Directed by Colin Tilley and featuring a male actor who doesn’t look unlike Halsey’s ex G-Eazy, the dramatic video is about a woman escaping an abusive relationship.
“It’s a reminder that you deserve more,” the singer explained. “And it’s okay to not want to be taken advantage of. By your partners, your friends, your family. You deserve happiness. Don’t be afraid of going and finding it.”
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On “Without Me” (which has a bridge inspired by Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River”), Halsey sings: “I said I’d catch you if you fall / And if they laugh, then f**k ‘em all / And then I got you off your knees / Put you right back on your feet / Just so you could take advantage of me.”
When she released the song, the pop star tweeted: “Here are my insides. Handle them with care.
“I cried the whole time I recorded it. But now I feel proud. And empowered.”
On Monday, Halsey wrote that the video is meant to be up for interpretation. “If you see your story in this, I hope you hear my speaking to you loud and clear.”
Watch “Without Me” below: (Warning: Contains language some may find offensive.)