Halsey compares her stage identity to 'Grey's Anatomy'

Halsey, whose real name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, has found that her recent acting ventures have helped her detach from her stage identity as a singer.

In an interview with Paper, she discussed how her roles in the 2023 film Americana and the 2024 film Maxxxine allowed her to step away from the persona she's built as Halsey.

"I always compare Halsey to Grey's Anatomy, where everybody who did Grey's Anatomy, I'm sure they loved it, but after 25 seasons, they're like, I can't play Meredith anymore," the Gasoline singer said.

"That's kind of how I felt about Halsey, which brought up an even greater existential question: 'Why do I feel like I'm playing Halsey?' It's meant to be just a stage name, not necessarily a persona, and I realized at that point it has kind of grown into a persona, which I never really intended for it to."

The Without Me singer is credited under her stage name in films Americana and Maxxxine, but plays characters separate from herself, distinguishing her acting roles from her music persona.

“Acting gave me a chance to step out of [my singer persona], but also it gave me a chance to be a part of someone else’s vision,” the singer continued.

“So much of what I make, the impetus is on me all the time to be in control of everything. It was nice showing up to someone else’s set, and my only job is to serve you in the best way that I can and you have the harder job.”

She also mentioned that it was enjoyable to learn about a new artistic process. “It was nice to be new at something, be a part of a community and collaborate,” she added.

“Being a solo artist is a really lonely venture. I don’t think people realize how lonely it is. I would certainly take it over being in a band, because I think I would be a tyrant.”