Halsey a hit with strings attached: My songs 'the way they were supposed to be heard'

It was an artistically invigorating and revealing night with pop superstar Halsey — and strings were definitely attached.

Halsey, born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane in Edison, performed her hits and more with an eight-piece string ensemble Wednesday, June 21, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The show was equal parts pop concert, cabaret revue, concerto and disarming confessional.

“I cry a lot since I've had my son,” said Halsey from the stage near the end of the performance. “Everyone's going to cry (when they become moms) — it's a lot like a Halsey concert.”

Halsey did tear up during the evening — more on that later.

Halsey, 28, made a dramatic entrance at a piano, stage right under a spotlight, after an eight-minute overture by the strings. The Gothic-tinged “The Tradition” brought a certain amount of gravitas to the proceedings right off the bat, and nicely framed Halsey's expressive and nuanced soprano voice. She can be quite a vocal powerhouse and that was readily apparent on the NJPAC stage. Halsey conveyed vulnerability and power on “The Tradition”, which was underscored by a sustained note enhanced by the swell of strings and boom of kettle drums. “Bad at Love” featured a playful lilt and “Colors” had haunting “blue” notes sung by Halsey.

“I can't help feeling this the way they were supposed to be heard, you know?” said Halsey of the songs. “Especially here of all places.”

In addition to the eight string players, who were partially obscured behind a stage barrier, there was a guitarist and percussionist who also played bass on several songs. There also seemed to be off-stage musical elements added to the sound. Halsey wore a tuxedo-style suit and tie. She lost the jacket about halfway through the show to reveal a sleeveless shirt.

When Halsey plays arenas, she's a runner and dancer on stage. In the smaller NJPAC set-up, the moves were there, but more efficient. She would look back over her shoulder to emphasize a line, or shrug her shoulders for effect.

Then, something happened about 45 minutes into the show. Halsey started talking to the receptive audience.

“Damn, listen, I had a whole plan. I was going to come out here and be really mysterious and cool but you guys got me (blanked) up,” said Halsey to cheers. “You should have seen me back there (offstage). It was like I was in a movie, I got my tuxedo on, sitting in front of a vanity fixing my collar — yes! 'I'm a very serious musician who does very serious things and performs in very serious buildings. I'm going to go out there and be serious.' I have to thank you because this is way better.”

She said there were too many in the audience who were familiar with the pre-fame Halsey to be serious.

“I feel like there's a lot of people in the room right now who are, like, you are not Halsey, You were in the Girl Scouts and you (wet) your pants when you were six so you think you're cool but I remember that, so whatever,” said Halsey to laughs.

A few songs later, Halsey, who graduated Warren Hills Regional High School in Washington, movingly acknowledged a former teacher who was in attendance.

“I was really in need of some guidance and some support and some validation,” said an emotional Halsey. “This show in particular is so important to me because making sure young people have access to artistic outlets is so vital — it's lifesaving.”

The night, part of the North to Shore festival, benefited arts programs and education in the state.

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Halsey has only five concerts scheduled, starting with the Jersey shows, with the string ensemble. She also plays NJPAC on Thursday, June 22.

Up next after Thursday is the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. Fla. on Saturday, June 24.

The North to Shore festival has decamped in Newark from Wednesday to Sunday, June 25. Other shows of note include Alanis Morissette with Aimee Mann Thursdays at the Prudential Center; Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Friday, June 23 at NJPAC; Jazmine Sullivan, Ari Lennox with Queen Naija, Tone Stith, and Ebony Riley at the Prudential Center on Friday; and An Evening with Stephen Colbert and Jim Gaffigan, Saturday, June 25 at NJPAC.

Halsey NJPAC setlist

• The Tradition

• Bells in Santa Fe

• Castle

• Lie

• Walls Could Talk

• Killing Boys

• You Should Be Sad

• Bad at Love

• Colors

• Graveyard

• Clementine

• 100 Letters

• Forever … (is a long time)

• I Hate Everybody

• Young God

• Ashley

• Gasoline

• Ya'aburnee

• Nightmare

• Without Me

• Hurricane

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Halsey at NJPAC: Edison NJ native performs at North to Shore festival