Halsey: From Parody Videos to Pop Stardom

Born Ashley Frangipane on September 29, 1994, in the quiet suburb of Clark, New Jersey, Halsey quickly outgrew her small-town roots. As a Libra with a flair for the dramatic, she adopted her stage name—an anagram of her first name—shortly after dipping her toes into music.

Growing up with parents Nicole and Chris, plus younger brothers Sevian and Dante, she often escaped into songwriting amid the everyday chaos of family life. She once joked about turning her bedroom into a makeshift studio, scribbling lyrics on napkins during late-night inspirations.

Halsey’s journey kicked off in 2012 with a cheeky YouTube parody of Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble,” reimagined as “The Haylor Song.” It was raw, unpolished, and surprisingly viral—her first taste of connecting with fans online. Fast-forward, and she’s a force in pop, dropping hits like “Without Me” and “Bad at Love.” Collaborations fueled her rise: teaming with The Chainsmokers on the inescapable “Closer,” or linking with Benny Blanco and Khalid for “Eastside.” Awards rolled in too—a 2016 Billboard Rising Star honor, Grammy nods in 2017, and that 2019 American Music Award for “Without Me.”

Personal Twists and Turns

Life offstage has been just as eventful. Halsey, who embraces both she/they pronouns, navigated a whirlwind of relationships: an on-again, off-again thing with producer Lido, a rocky romance with G-Eazy from 2017 to 2018, flings with Yungblud and Evan Peters. Motherhood arrived in 2021 with son Ender Ridley, born to then-boyfriend Alev Aydin—though they parted ways in 2023. Now engaged to Avan Jogia since September 2024, she balances gigs and parenting with her signature candor.

Her global reach peaked in 2019, featuring on BTS’s “Boy With Luv,” whose video shattered YouTube records for first-day views. At 31, Halsey keeps evolving, blending vulnerability with powerhouse vocals that resonate far beyond Clark’s borders.