Halsey just kicked off her “Back to Badlands” tour, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their first studio album, Badlands.
This marks Halsey’s second major tour of the year. Just months after wrapping her “For My Last Trick” Tour for their fifth studio album, The Great Impersonator, she’s hitting the road again, this time to celebrate the album that started it all. With 38 shows across more than 22 cities worldwide and tickets selling out within hours, it’s clear that fans are eager to return to the world of Badlands.
Badlands: The album
For many members of Gen Z, Badlands, whether the entire record or just a few tracks, played on repeat during our middle and high school years. It was the soundtrack to our youth: the kind of album that seemed to understand us better than we understood ourselves.
Now, a decade later, the nostalgia has returned in full force. On social media, fans are sharing side-by-side photos of their middle school selves, the ones who first discovered Badlands, next to their present-day selves, the ones now buying tickets to relive those moments. It’s a wholesome, full-circle trend that captures just how much this album still means to people.
A personal moment
I came into this article expecting to write a more structured, formulaic review, you know, the kind that breaks down the setlist, reminisces on the biggest songs, highlights the best moments, and compares it to past tours. But after attending the night one show in Boston a few days ago, I can’t do that. It was such a beautiful, carefully crafted, nostalgic show that deserves a more personal review capturing the moment.
Now, I am a bit biased. I’ve been a fan of Halsey since their early Tumblr-era days and since Badlands was first released. I know all the lyrics to all the albums and was lucky enough to see a show a part of the “For My Last Trick” Tour earlier this year. I owe a lot to Halsey for being such a big part of my queer journey as well. But, despite how big a fan I am, the show didn’t just feel like a concert, it felt like a moment of healing. And I think a lot of other people in the crowd would agree.
Back to Badlands: The Show
Walking into the venue, the crowd was a colorful sea of blue wigs, there were faded tour shirts from every era, and each fan was grinning like they’d waited their whole lives for this night. Before doors even opened, the line wrapped around both sides of the building. Inside, merch lines snaked up staircases and around corners, both before and after the show. The whole place buzzed with that unmistakable energy, the kind where every person knew why we were all there.
When Halsey hit the stage in her iconic blue wig, the energy was electric. She performed every track from the original Badlands album, along with songs from her first EP, Room 93, and even fan-favorite studio demos that were never officially released. The setlist also wove in songs from Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, Manic, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, and The Great Impersonator, all carefully chosen to mirror the themes, emotions, and aesthetics of the Badlands era.
There’s something uniquely emotional and special about hearing songs that once meant everything to your younger self. Tracks that can instantly take you back to bus rides home, late nights, and the moments that shaped you. All around me, people were shouting every lyric word-for-word, tears mixing with smiles. It was like the collective memory of an entire generation singing back to the artist who helped us grow up.
And Halsey knows their fans want that connection. She’s been giving us plenty of it, releasing long-awaited music videos for “Gasoline” and “Drive,” songs fans have begged to see visualized for years. The videos are full of callbacks to her original Badlands visuals: the blue wigs, the desert sets, Tumblr-era aesthetics, and characters from the original music videos for “Colors,” “New Americana,” and “Ghost.” It’s fan service, sure, but you can tell it means something to them too.
Halsey’s health
Halsey’s also been open about her health in recent years, sharing diagnoses of lupus, endometriosis, and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. She’s said before that she feels lucky to be alive, and you can feel that gratitude radiate through her performance. I am sure that returning to an album that started it all feels like such a meaningful reflection to the amazing career she has had within just a decade. These performances are a reminder that their art hasn’t just saved them, it’s saved so many of us.
Following the first night show in Boston, Halsey posted a picture to her Instagram story saying, “Boston I’m gonna be honest with ya, after the show last night I was in the ER till 6 this morning. 😬 Minor medical emergency but I am A-Okay now and ready to rock tonight! but if I’m pacing myself, that’s why!” This was following a sold out show that went on for over two and a half hours with full energy and attention. Halsey went on to play two more shows in a row, really giving their all to their art and fans.
The artistry
Each fan received a pair of 3D “Bad-lens” glasses at the door, to wear during a specific moment of the show. When we did, a floating figure appeared on the stage screen, a trippy visual that made the experience feel immersive. It was not only a cool artistic choice and chance for fans to actually interact with the show, but also a cool piece of memorabilia to take home.
The stage itself transformed into cinematic elements of the songs: a car interior for “Drive,” a moody room reminiscent of the original “Ghost” video, and even a neon-lit “Badlands Underground” club and bar. One backdrop also featured a stunning fan-created anime-style illustration of Halsey and her band.
As for the performance itself, Halsey proved once again that she’s a true artist and an incredible performer whose voice sounds the same live as on the record. She is so naturally comfortable on stage, seamlessly shifting from dramatic, theatrical storytelling to sultry movements, and then to intimate moments locking eyes with fans.
The nostalgia
If there is one word to describe the show: it is nostalgic. Halsey talked about how Badlands feels timeless, just as relevant now as it was ten years ago, not just for fans, but for her too. That’s part of the magic: the atmosphere, the lyrics, the memories associated with each song. It’s like she’s letting us revisit the part of her story that helped us understand our own.
At one point, Halsey told the audience to leave any burdens they might have behind, whether that is difficult memories they have been holding on to from 2015 or something they are struggling with right now. To just leave them on the floor tonight. Lose yourself in the music and the moment. Halsey told fans that she could handle it, hold on to anything and everything the crowd needed to let go. It was such a beautiful moment of healing and community that left many in tears.
Halsey came into the audience and ended the show with “Is There Somewhere,” a song that’s become a fan favorite, like a love letter between Halsey and her audience. I know that when Badlands celebrates its 20th or 30th anniversary, it will still hold a special place in people’s hearts. Because for so many of us, it will always be the soundtrack to our youth. Badlands forever.
If you take anything away…
If you take anything from this article, let it be two things:
- Give Halsey her flowers. She’s an artist through and through. A singer, a writer, a painter, an actress, someone who continues to evolve, experiment, and create using different mediums. Whether you’ve been a fan since Room 93 or you’re just curious what she’s like live: go see her. You won’t regret it.
- Go see a concert by someone who meant something to your younger self. Go to the concert you once dreamed of as a teenager. See the artist who got you through middle school heartbreaks and difficult times, the one you played with the windows down in the car with your friends, the artist that helped you figure out who you were. Let that younger version of yourself sing again. You’ll walk out feeling a little more whole.
You can purchase tickets to Halsey’s “Back to Badlands” Tour, which runs through February, here.
