Colors

Halsey has explained that "Colors" is about being in a relationship with someone and watching their vibrancy fade away. It details the experience of loving a person who is succumbing to negative behaviors, such as drug abuse or mental health struggles, which strips them of their lively essence. The song is a lament for the person they used to be and the subsequent emotional fallout on the narrator. The core of the song's meaning lies in its powerful use of color as a metaphor for emotional states. Blue represents the lover's initial state of creative, perhaps melancholic, isolation. Red signifies a shift into a more destructive, manic, or chaotic phase. The combination of these two, purple or "lilac sky," symbolizes the narrator being changed by the relationship, only to be rejected by her partner for the very transformation he caused. Ultimately, everything fades to grey, symbolizing the complete loss of vibrancy, emotion, and life, leaving a hollow, empty shell of what once was. It's a poignant exploration of codependency and the pain of watching someone you love disappear into their demons, taking your own color with them.

The narrative unfolds from the perspective of someone observing their lover, who is described as being lost and emotionally turbulent. This lover's world is initially painted in shades of blue—his pills, his hands, his jeans—a color that the narrator becomes completely immersed in, to the point of losing her own identity, feeling like she's being pulled apart at the seams. She reminisces about specific, intimate details of their life together, noting that his younger brother loves him dearly and that his mother's smiles are reserved for her television appearances. There's a deep-seated fear for his well-being, as she hopes he survives past the age of 27, a nod to the infamous "27 Club" of musicians who died young. His personality is described as a volatile, oversaturated mixture, beautiful yet destructive, like a masterpiece that's being torn apart.

The central theme of the song is a painful transformation. The lover was initially "blue," representing a state of creative melancholy which the narrator was drawn to. He was then "red," a more passionate and perhaps dangerous phase. This combination created a beautiful, unique "lilac sky" or "purple" hue in the narrator—she was changed by their relationship. The ultimate tragedy is that he then rejected this new version of her, the very person he had a hand in creating. This rejection and his own internal struggles—be it with drugs, depression, or something else—have drained all the vibrancy from their world. Now, everything has faded to a monotonous and somber gray: his hair, his smoke, his dreams. He is so devoid of color that he no longer understands what it even means. The narrator is left waking up alone, haunted by the ghost of the colorful, vibrant person he used to be and the love they once shared.

"Colors" was written by Halsey (Ashley Frangipane) and Dylan Bauld, who also produced the track. Halsey revealed that she wrote a significant portion of the song as a poem when she was 17, and adapted it into a full song two years later, considering it one of her personal favorites. The song was included on her debut studio album, Badlands, released on August 28, 2015. It was officially released as the album's third single on February 9, 2016.

The song is widely believed to be inspired by Halsey's tumultuous relationship with Matty Healy, the lead singer of the band The 1975. Lyrical references, such as "Your mother only smiled on her TV show" (Healy's mother, Denise Welch, is a panelist on the UK chat show Loose Women) and the line hoping he makes it to 28 (Healy was 26 at the time and had been open about past drug use), strongly support this theory. Halsey herself has mentioned being a big fan of The 1975 and spoke about the inspiration in interviews, explaining it's about seeing the color drain from someone you're in a relationship with.

A music video, directed by Tim Mattia and co-starring actor Tyler Posey, was released on February 25, 2016. The video featured a plot twist where it's revealed Halsey's character is infatuated with Posey's character's father, a narrative choice that was widely discussed.

The song's structure relies on a fairly consistent rhyme scheme, particularly in the verses, which often follow an AABB or ABCB pattern, making the lyrics flow smoothly and cohesively. For example, in the first verse, "so" rhymes with "show," and "dope" with "old." This simple structure allows the focus to remain on the powerful lyrical content and imagery.

The chorus has a more emphatic rhyme and repetition, with lines like "And now I'm covered in the colors / Pull apart at the seams / And it's blue / And it's blue" creating a memorable and haunting hook. The bridge introduces a different lyrical and rhythmic pattern, building emotional tension with the lines: "You were red, and you liked me 'cause I was blue / You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky / And you decided purple just wasn't for you." This part is rhythmically sparser, emphasizing the painful climax of the story.

The song maintains a mid-tempo, steady rhythm driven by electronic drums and a persistent synth bassline. This creates a hypnotic, almost trudging feel, mirroring the emotional exhaustion and helplessness described in the lyrics. The interplay between the melancholic, flowing vocal melody and the steady, unyielding electronic beat enhances the song's feeling of being trapped in a slowly decaying situation.

Literary Techniques:

• Extended Metaphor: The entire song functions as an extended metaphor, where colors represent emotional states, personality changes, and the overall trajectory of a relationship from vibrancy to decay.
• Imagery: Halsey employs vivid sensory imagery to create a palpable atmosphere. Phrases like "dripping like a saturated sunrise" and "spilling like an overflowing sink" create a powerful visual of a personality that is both beautiful and chaotically messy.
• Symbolism: Beyond the central color metaphors, there are references to the "27 Club," symbolizing a fear of a premature, tragic death often associated with artists and drug use.
• Confessional Tone: The song is delivered in a direct, first-person narrative, giving it a raw, honest, and intimate quality, as if listening to a personal diary entry.

Musical Techniques:

• Genre Blending: The track is primarily electropop and synth-pop but carries an alternative and indie sensibility, which is characteristic of Halsey's early work.
• Vocal Delivery: Halsey's vocal performance is emotionally charged yet controlled. She sings with a distinctive, slightly melancholic tone that builds in intensity during the chorus, conveying a sense of desperation and longing.
• Atmospheric Production: The production by Dylan Bauld creates a spacious, atmospheric soundscape. The use of synthesizers, a steady beat, and layered harmonies complements the lyrical themes of being submerged and "drowned" in another person's world.

"Colors" is considered a fan-favorite and one of the standout tracks from Halsey's debut album, Badlands (2015). While not her highest-charting single, it became the album's most-streamed track on Spotify and its best-selling track worldwide, achieving Platinum certification in the US. The song was instrumental in establishing Halsey's signature lyrical style—a blend of raw, confessional poetry, vivid imagery, and themes of mental health and tumultuous relationships, which resonated deeply with her young audience.

The song's cultural discussion was significantly fueled by its widely accepted connection to Matty Healy of The 1975, making it a piece of modern music lore for fans of both artists. The music video, starring Tyler Posey, also generated buzz due to its surprising plot twist. "Colors" has been a staple in Halsey's live performances, including appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and at various festivals. It remains a defining song of her early career, encapsulating the aesthetic and thematic concerns of the Badlands era and solidifying her status as a compelling and distinctive voice in pop music.

"Colors" is built on a foundation of rich symbolism, primarily using colors to represent emotions and personality traits.

• Blue: This color symbolizes the lover's initial state. Halsey has described blue as her "creative color," representing something calm, ethereal, and unexplored. In the song, it depicts his introspective, perhaps sad and isolated, world that the narrator is drawn into ("Everything is blue / His pills, his hands, his jeans").
• Red: Red represents a dramatic and dangerous shift in his personality. It's the color of intense passion, anger, or possibly the influence of drugs, as suggested by lyrics like "You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue." The imagery of him being a "saturated sunrise" and "spilling like an overflowing sink" evokes an uncontrolled, overwhelming force.
• Purple / Lilac Sky: The mix of red and blue creates purple. This symbolizes the narrator's transformation through the relationship. She absorbed his characteristics, and their connection created a new, complex identity for her ("You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky").
• Grey: This is the color of the relationship's aftermath—a state of emotional emptiness and despair. After the vibrant blue and red are gone, all that remains is a dull, lifeless grey ("Everything is grey / His hair, his smoke, his dreams"). It signifies that the lover is now "devoid of color" and the narrator's world has been drained of its vitality.
• Masterpiece: Despite his flaws and destructive tendencies, the narrator refers to him as a "masterpiece," highlighting the beauty she sees in his brokenness and the depth of her lingering affection.

The most significant recurring motif in "Colors" is the color progression itself, which acts as the song's structural and thematic backbone. The constant references to blue, red, and grey chart the entire narrative arc of the relationship. The line "Everything is blue" is repeated in the chorus, emphasizing the narrator's complete immersion in her lover's world.

Another key recurring phrase is the chorus's central statement: "You're dripping like a saturated sunrise / You're spilling like an overflowing sink / You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece / And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink." This entire section repeats, reinforcing the central image of the lover as a beautiful, chaotic, and self-destructive work of art.

The bridge contains the critical, non-repeating phrase that explains the core conflict: "You were red, and you liked me 'cause I was blue / You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky / And you decided purple just wasn't for you." While not repeated, its placement and power make it a central motif that unlocks the song's meaning. Its recollection by Halsey as one of her best-written lyrics underscores its importance.