This week, we’re featuring singles that cover an array of emotions. Niall Horan delivers a love ballad fit for the gods, Yaeji inspires you to express self-love by breaking cycles of generational trauma and Halsey hashes out her grievances about a past relationship. Read on for more.

“Heaven” by Niall Horan

Paree Chopra, Contributing Writer

Niall Horan returns with heavenly synths and dreamy vocals in his latest single, “Heaven.” In anticipation of his third album, “The Show,” to be released on June 9, Horan shares a glimpse into the ethereal nature of love that may permeate the album. Musically, the song finds itself within the lush, creative production of a pop-rock ballad, with lyrics that ascend to a swoon-worthy height: “And even if our love starts to grow out of control / And you and me go up in flames / Heaven won’t be the same.”

The lyrics of the first verse — “Heaven can’t hold a candle to / You’re made of somethin’ new” — offers a peek into the theme of love that the Irish-born singer has touched upon in previous works, including “Flickr” and “Heartbreak Weather.” Yet, as the song progresses with its angelic synths, we are brought into the world of a more grounded artist who has discovered a new outlook on life and music. It is clear that he has experienced a love that makes each moment of the present enchanting, and Horan chooses to share this special vulnerability by translating it into lyrics every person can connect to in “Heaven.”

With the blissful feel of the song, it seems that Horan is aiming to bring an otherworldly musical experience to “The Show.” 

“Done (Let’s Get It)” by Yaeji

Sandy Battulga, Music Editor

Yaeji tenderly and rousingly advocates for healing generational trauma in “Done (Let’s Get It),” the second song to be released from her upcoming album entitled “With A Hammer,” set to be released on April 7.

The song’s music video features Yaeji and her grandpa Happi dressed as “bunny dogs.” They do various activities together — eating, sorting vegetables and walking down the streets of Seoul. She sings in both Korean and English about making the active decision to confront inherited pain and, through that, ensure that it isn’t passed on: “Isn’t it so weird how we learn to / Pass down what we didn’t want to do? / Isn’t it our mission this life to / Break the cycles, make it make you mend the cycles?” Yaeji advocates for embracing the messiness and pain that come with facing the causes and effects of generational trauma head on, singing, “Let’s get it donе, I want it done, it’s our freedom / (I wanna, wanna be a mess)” and “Scream and cry and let it out.” 

Staying true to Yaeji’s dance music roots, the production of “Done (Let’s Get It)” feels perfectly suited for a warehouse rave. The buzzy, house-inspired beat that fuels the instrumentation of the song supports Yaeji’s message of the multidimensional nature of healing. It emphasizes how feeling sadness and anger are not mutually exclusive with feeling joy and having fun; healing trauma that has been genealogically passed down doesn’t take on one specific form. To dance, to scream, to cry, to laugh, to love — an entire spectrum of emotions and actions are necessary to help you find inner peace for yourself, your ancestors and future generations: “Whether I cry in anger or laugh hysterically, it’s up to me.” 

“Die 4 Me” by Halsey

Pritheva Zakaria, Contributing Writer

On Feb. 24, singer-songwriter Halsey dropped an extended version of “Die 4 Me” almost four years after the original song was released on Post Malone’s sophomore album, “Hollywood’s Bleeding.” On that version, Future, Post Malone and Halsey sing about their significant others lying to them — passionate and intense loves gone sideways. Though the initial song contained a mix of rap and pop sounds, this newly released solo version simply showcases Halsey’s voice, which is able to stand alone successfully. With just her voice on the track, we can hear the anger, resentment and betrayal that she feels. 

“Die 4 Me” has similar vibes to Halsey’s previous heartbreak songs “Without Me” and “You Should Be Sad,” which declare how much her ex-partner is missing now that they are separated and Halsey has moved on. In “Die 4 Me,” she sings, “Said you’d take a bullet, told me you would die for me / I had a really bad feeling you’ve been lying to me.” Halsey captivates listeners with a feeling most people know all too well — being betrayed by someone you love.

This song is a tribute to Halsey’s fans, who have been eagerly awaiting the release of this demo, which Halsey teased but kept secret for a couple of years. If you’re looking for an upbeat song about revenge, “Die 4 Me” was made for you. 

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