Halsey released a music video for her single “Without Me” last week. Directed by Colin Tilley, the video follows a young couple as their partying lifestyle and relationship quickly deteriorate.
The opening scene depicts Halsey sitting on the bathroom floor as her boyfriend is sprawled out beside her with his head in the toilet. It then cuts to scenes of them together in a bar, seemingly having a good time drinking and dancing. That is, until the boyfriend gets a bit too tipsy and she has to escort him outside. He stumbles out of the bar and, despite her support, falls down in the middle of the street. Refusing her efforts to help him up, he gets a bit too touchy and aggressive.
It then cuts to them back in their apartment as Halsey tries to clean up his injuries from his stumble back at the bar. The video goes through a series of clips of some of the better aspects of their relationship. It includes good memories such as them cooking for each other, showering together, and watching movies from a projector onto the ceiling of a tunnel while they lie in the back of a pickup truck.
Despite the good times they share, the video depicts the ugly abuse beneath the surface. The boyfriend steals money from Halsey, loses his temper with her, and goes as far as physical abuse. Their lifestyle of partying, sex, and drinking leaves them unsatisfied, and the abuse leaves them both in anguish. The video ends with a shot of Halsey standing outside of their apartment, watching as police drive away with the violent man.
The release of this video comes shortly after Halsey’s breakup with rapper G-Eazy. They had broken up once before, but this past summer they publicly rekindled their relationship. In recent weeks, it surfaced that they had split once again, and this video was released soon after.
Halsey followed up the video release with a post on Instagram:
“The story [in the video] is a reflection of a combination of relationships I’ve been in, or watched the people I love go through,” Halsey wrote. “It’s a reminder that you deserve more. And it’s okay to not want to be taken advantage of.”
Many fans and viewers noticed that the male actor in the video looks suspiciously like the singer’s most recent boyfriend. Although the video seems to be a statement about their previous relationship, this Instagram post seems to try to detract from that. Halsey makes it clear that her main intent is to raise awareness about domestic abuse and show her fans that she understands and cares.
Featured Image by Capitol Records
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