Hosted in one of Camden Town’s most iconic venues, KOKO, a converted Victorian theatre, which has previously hosted a star-studded lineup with artists like The Rolling Stones and The Clash, Halsey announced a special secret surprise show via her Whatsapp mailing list. Offering free tickets to her most dedicated fans, the event sold out in seconds, with fans flying out with mere days’ notice to see her take the stage in this intimate venue. 

Opening with ‘Nightmare’, Halsey set the tone that this would be an evening to remember. There was no easing into the show, we were thrown into one of her most hardcore tracks, yet the crowd did not lag behind her energy. As soon as she ran out on stage, the whole floor moved, proudly screaming along to her words with the female rage incomparable to any other crowd I’ve ever been a part of. 

Acknowledging her love of the venue, Halsey spoke candidly between songs about how much the venue - and city - means to them, with a history at KOKO stemming back to 2015 when she had just debuted ‘Badlands,’ ‘many teenagers’ introduction to the world of electronic alt-pop music. The 1,500-person crowd is a far cry from their most recent appearance in the UK, as they most recently headlined Reading and Leeds Festival in 2022, yet they command the room like the chart-topping rockstar they are. 

Performing two new songs to a crowd of her most dedicated fans, one titled ‘Ego’ and the other ‘Lonely is the Muse,’ Halsey showcases a darker sound that has been consistent across their discography. It’s difficult to follow up a Nine Inch Nails-produced album, yet Halsey does this easily on these new songs. With their upcoming ‘confessional concept’ album, ‘The Great Impersonator’ set to explore how their success would differ across the decades, it’s clear from the crowd’s reception to these tracks that they will adore anything she releases, as her soul-baring nature shows an incredible authenticity. 

Lyrically, these new songs reflect the difficult times she’s been through since her last album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. After extensive health concerns, Halsey has been reintroducing herself to back onto the live scene. She bravely details these on her previous singles ‘The End’ and ‘Lucky’ where she shares “Every couple of years now, a doctor says I’m sick” and “Then I left the doctor’s office full of tears / Became a single mom at my premiere / And I told everybody I was fine for a whole damn year / And that’s the biggest lie of my career”. Whilst singing these details on stage, the entire crowd fell silent, hanging onto every word she courageously chose to share. 

However, the show felt like as much a celebration as a reflection, with Halsey joking that there is no musical boundary they wouldn’t push before jumping into a rock version of ‘Closer,’ their first Billboard #1 song with The Chainsmokers. The song, one Halsey had previously joked “I’m not f***ing playing Closer” on stage at Webster Hall, which was later immortalised through their live album, led fans around to gasp in surprise. Yet that wasn’t the only surprise of the night, with Halsey sharing that her newest single ‘Lonely is the Muse’ would be released the following day, and that fans at KOKO would be the first to hear it in full. 

After believing she may die from complications of her illnesses, Halsey wants to do whatever she wants, with this free show being one of the many bold moves she’s decided to make. If they want to remix ‘Closer’, they will, if they want to play ‘Ego’ for the first time, before their record label has approved it, they will. The reckless abandon they’ve begun to embody since their break is fascinating, and shows an artistry that is beginning to be forgotten in the age of virality. She’s unafraid to bring out the deep cuts whilst mixing in the chart-toppers, and her expansive catalogue allows her to do both; as she puts it best, ‘I do both!’ 

Before closing out the night with their number one hit, ‘Without Me’, she sweetly shared that she was stalling the end of the gig as she didn’t want the night to be over, mirroring the desperate want of the packed auditorium.

The show was thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end, with Halsey bringing the energy with her daring style and charming demeanour (and not to mention, excellent vocals). Looking around during the show to see fans reciting every single lyric, breath and movement from the bottom of their heart, Halsey’s healthy and safe return has been much-awaited as she takes her place back on top of the alternative throne.