Music is the best way artists and fans connect, brought together by shared experiences that make them feel less alone. Halsey experienced that with their many fans, but the singer explained she felt seen in one of Britney Spears‘ underrated songs.
Britney Spears is one of the biggest pop icons of all time. Known as the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears grew to fame in the late ’90s, making hit after hit, and becoming America’s sweetheart. Her level of fame became unmanageable, and she addressed the media and the paparazzi’s interest in her in numerous songs, most notably in “Piece of Me,” “My Prerogative,” and “Lucky.”
The latter comes from Britney’s second album, Oops!… I Did It Again, and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 23. The song is a depiction of the lonelier side of fame, as Spears sings that “She’s so lucky, she’s a star/ But she cry, cry cries in her lonely heart, thinking/ If there’s nothin, missing in my life/ Then why do these tears come at night?” These lyrics were also a huge inspiration to Halsey, who included an unexpected tribute to Spears in her upcoming song.
Britney Spears’ “Lucky” gets new life in Halsey’s new song
In a new video shared on their Instagram, Halsey sports a t-shirt reading “Lucky,” paired with shorts and magenta hair. The singer added a teaser from her upcoming song, which samples Britney Spears’ “Lucky.” Halsey put their own stamp on the song with a more upbeat sound, but also kept the song’s iconic chorus.
The singer explained in the caption, “When I was 5, it always felt like Britney was singing directly to me. 24 years later, these words hit different. love you forever.”
Halsey announced their fifth studio album last month, with the non-single track “The End” following their health struggles. “There’s so much I am going to reveal on this record, but you need to know some of the story first,” Halsey explained about their upcoming album. The new song, which seems to be called “Lucky,” will probably be on the setlist.
Halsey has had some very powerful lyrics and songs in the past, and her connection to Britney Spears’ highly underrated and painful song about the dark sides of fame makes us both excited and scared about how profound the album will be.