Pop superstar Halsey released the long awaited music video for “Strangers” on Wednesday (June 20). The video shows Luna, played by Halsey, being put in a boxing ring to fight against her lover Rosa, played by fellow bisexual singer Lauren Jauregui. The video culminates in a bloodied Halsey standing victorious over her former flame, and ultimately meeting with her male lover Solis.
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Some fans took to Twitter after seeing the video, saying that for a song that specifically uses female pronouns, they were upset that it wasn’t more explicitly queer. But Halsey clapped back on Twitter, saying that within the context of the song’s lyrics, it wouldn’t have made sense to make a purely sexual video.
“I just wanted the metaphor to apply to any kind of relationship,” she wrote. “It was a hard situation. The song is obviously my effort towards greater representation but I didn’t want to make the clickbait sexy vid everyone wanted, cause it does no justice to the narrative of the song I wrote.”
When more fans chimed in, saying that the song contributed to bisexual erasure, Halsey again defended the video, saying that it shows a character who is in love with both a man and a woman. “It literally IS a bisexual story,” she said. “Luna has romantic relationships with both Rosa and Solis. Her relationship with a man doesn’t nullify her bisexuality. Not in an imaginary music video universe and not in real life either!!!!!! Ok!!!!!!”
The “Bad at Love” singer explained in an earlier tweet that the song and video were metaphors for toxic relationships. She said Luna and Rosa are fighting in the video because that’s what they’ve learned to do throughout their time together. “When someone finally wins, what have they really won?” she asked. “Won a fight. Lost the person you love.”
Halsey will also be performing at the Billboard Hot 100 Music Festival this August; tickets are available now.
Check out Halsey’s full set of tweets below.
The vid is a metaphor for a toxic relationship. You beat eachother down as u get weaker & more desperate ur shots get dirty & you fight cheap. You lose sight of what ur even fighting for. When someone finally wins, what have they really won? won a fight. lost the person you love
— h (@halsey) June 20, 2018
I just wanted the metaphor to apply to any kind of relationship. It was a hard situation. The song is obviously my effort towards greater representation but I didn’t want to make the clickbait sexy vid everyone wanted, cause it does no justice to the narrative of the song I wrote https://t.co/HtjnqvMCxN
— h (@halsey) June 20, 2018
Luna and Rosa are a couple. Who are forced to fight and it breaks Luna’s heart to have to fight the person she loves. Much like it feels being a toxic relationship. https://t.co/b16Fl4sGId
— h (@halsey) June 20, 2018
The video isn’t “straight”. The video is part of a series in a concept album about my actual life. —-?? https://t.co/AwWz3XddhS
— h (@halsey) June 20, 2018
It literally IS a bisexual story. Luna has romantic relationships with both Rosa and Solis. Her relationship with a man doesn’t nullify her bisexuality. Not in an imaginary music video universe and not in real life either !!!!!! Ok!!!!!! https://t.co/xVP73hwdeS
— h (@halsey) June 20, 2018