FEATURE:
Revisiting...
Hailee Steinfeld - Half Written Story
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WHEREAS I normally include albums…
PHOTO CREDIT: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
in this feature, I anted to include an E.P. this time around. Half Written Story was released in 2020 by the California-born actor and artist, Hailee Steinfeld. Her second E.P., I think that many people who are not necessarily fans of hers might have missed it. As it received some mixed reception when it came out on 8th May, 2020, I wanted to spotlight a recent work that deserves more. I know that Steinfeld will release an album before long. Her two E.P. so far have been a snapshot of where she is at that time. Although some would say there are one or two tracks on Half Written Story some will pass by, I feel the E.P., warrants a bit more love. In any case, if you have not heard it at all, there are a few great tracks that will introduce you to an intriguing and promising Pop artist. I am not normally one who listens to mainstream Pop, though I was intrigued by Hailee Steinfeld’s Half Written Story. As someone who balanced acting and music, one can feel the two world mingle on the E.P. There were reviews that were positive and at least highlighted the fact Steinfeld is a confident artist who has amassed a lot of fans. In terms of originality and breaking into new territories, maybe that is a little way off. That said, there are moments on Half Written Story that are distinctly her. Great tracks that do hit you. I will come to those reviews soon. Before that, Steinfeld conducted interviews around the release of her second E.P.
As she told Billboard in July 2020, Half Written Story is not about popularity and streaming. It is about depth and resonance:
“Steinfeld’s singles have been primarily composed of airy, anthemic synth-pop, and consistently garnered hundreds of millions of streams — her five biggest tracks to date have garnered a combined 1.79 billion on-demand streams in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Yet those singles have yet to coalesce into a solo project since her 2015 debut EP, Haiz. That introduction is at long last receiving a follow-up this Friday (May 8) with another EP, Half Written Story, that is being billed as the first half of a two-part project. The five new songs are the most experimental, and personal, of Steinfeld’s career; they include interpolations of songbook classics, a heartbroken ballad, and a foray into pop-rap. None of the songs sound like surefire radio staples, but that seems to be the point of Half Written Story.
“It’s not about just top 40 hits, but about adding depth and [Hailee] expressing herself,” says manager Ed Millett. “We then are banking some ideas for her eventual debut album.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah McColgan
For Steinfeld, the significance of Half Written Story has less to do with maintaining commercial momentum than trying on a few different sounds in order to establish one of her own. Her past five years’ worth of musical output consists of one-offs that were catchy enough to cross over and more thematically universal than personally revealing. Her two biggest hits following “Love Myself” were collaborations, and neither featured co-writing credits for Steinfeld.
Now, she is writing more, exploring more mature subject matter, and going through a self-described “trial-and-error process” in order to figure out what type of pop artist she wants to become. “I haven’t had that chance to really create what [my] sound is, consistently,” Steinfeld says. “I still think I’m very much in that process of finding what it is. And I feel like, with every song I do, I get closer and closer.”
One thing she has appreciated about the lead-up to Half Written Story is the act of discussing her music, in interviews and elsewhere, after years of fielding questions about her acting career. “It’s one thing to talk about a character I play, and someone else’s writing, versus my own,” Steinfeld says. “As far as acting, I’m always going to be protected by the character that I’m playing — that’s like a safety net. And the more and more I talk about my recent music, I don’t feel that, because I don’t have that. It’s very me”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah McColgan
Forbes covered Half Written Story and emphasised the multiple talents of Hailee Steinfeld. She was asked about her approach to the E.P. and its inspirations:
“When you get an Oscar nomination at 14 years old starring opposite Oscar winner Jeff Bridges in a film from Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen your lot is cast as an actor in the eyes of the world. Such was the case for Hailee Steinfeld after her breakout role in 2011's True Grit.
But like many, Steinfeld is blessed with multiple talents. The list of greats who succeeded in both music and film is a stunning one, from Barbara Streisand and Frank Sinatra to more recently Jared Leto and Beyonce. And despite the fact there is a proven track record of talented musicians who have dual talents (Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell were also acclaimed painters) there does sometimes remain a prove it to me attitude from fans when it comes to actors who make music.
Steinfeld proves it without a doubt on her stellar new Half Written Story, the first of a two-part collection out this Friday (the second half of the project comes out later this year). When you hear her intimate, her attitude in the joyous pop, the production and the passion she brings to the first five songs it is clear her love of music is genuine.
When you talk to her about everything from the Weeknd and Billie Eilish to the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac it is even more evident that, to paraphrase Elvis Costello, Steinfeld's aim is true.
On the eve of the release of Half Written Story I spoke at length with Steinfeld about her passion for music, rediscovering vinyl during the pandemic and revealing so much of herself on the new songs.
Steve Baltin: People have gone different directions in releasing music during this time. What was your thought process in releasing the EP now?
Hailee Steinfeld: It was a combination of things for sure. These are songs that I am so proud of and have had for a while now. This is a project that, unbeknownst to everyone else, has been pushed quite a bit. And if I could have put this music out the day I wrote it I would have. But obviously there's so much to take into consideration. I was also away working on a TV show [Dickinson] and this was always sort of my time that I carved out for music. I try and do my best in working with my teams and making it so that I can focus on one at a time. So that whether it's music or acting it's getting 110 percent of me. So it is a very strange time to be putting out music. But I also sort of feel music has such a unique ability of connecting people and bringing them happiness. And for me music is such a release. And any time a favorite artist of mine drops new music it's like there can never be a wrong time for that.
Baltin: What have been the songs or albums you have turned to during this time?
Steinfeld: I've had the Weeknd's new album, After Hours, on repeat. I love his music. I love the production on the record. I think that he is amazing. But I've also been doing a lot of deep dives into old albums that I grew up listening to, which are a lot of the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, a bunch of Pink Floyd this morning. And I have all these vinyl's. I've actually been putting together a little home studio and so I've been wanting to hang my vinyl's up on the wall. I pulled out a bunch I totally forgot that I even had. This has been so amazing to actually sit and listen to an entire album from start to finish without any distractions. I can't tell you the last time I did that. I of course will download albums when I'm on planes and traveling. But I'm either falling asleep, someone is interrupting or you're distracted. But to be able to just sit and listen to these records from start to finish has been really cool.
Baltin: What do you hope people take from this record as a body of work?
Steinfeld: I think people now more than ever are getting so creative in the space they are in because it's really all we've got right now. I'm just looking forward to seeing their reactions to the music. I feel like I am paying this forward in the sense that I went through this time in my life that built up a thirst to talk about. And one thing I love is that all my fans will come to me and tell me these records made them feel less alone and hearing them say that and sing these songs and watching them make videos to these songs and do all that makes me feel like if what I went through was good for anything it's that”.
To finish, there are a couple of reviews that shine some positive light on a 2020 E.P. that I think should be played more. Even if you are not aware of Steinfeld, there is much to appreciate and enjoy. This is what Spectrum Culture said in their review:
“It’s been almost five years, but Hailee Steinfeld’s second studio release is finally here. The actress turned pop star, who first displayed musical aspirations with her role as Emily Junk in Pitch Perfect 2, has been a bit busy since the release of her debut EP Haiz in 2015. In addition to releasing the standalone singles “Starving,” “Most Girls,” and “Let Me Go” (among others), Steinfeld also appeared in the lead roles of the feature films The Edge of Seventeen and Bumblebee, as well as reprising her role in Pitch Perfect 3 and starring as Emily Dickinson on the Apple TV+ series “Dickinson.” Now, Steinfeld is ready to take music off the backburner and finish what she started. Half Written Story, her new extended play, is the first of two new EPs expected for release this year.
Half Written Story sees somewhat of a departure from the dance-pop Hailee Steinfeld of years past while also still delivering on strong lyrics and production. Steinfeld perhaps made it clear that melancholy would be at the forefront of her upcoming project when she chose to release “Wrong Direction” as the lead single on New Year’s Day. A heart-wrenchingly beautiful ballad, the song chronicles the end of a relationship and one lover’s perspective on wanting to believe the best in someone, even when they hurt you. “I don’t hate you/ No, I couldn’t if I wanted to/ I just hate all the hurt that you put me through,” she sings in the track’s opening lines. “Couldn’t even see through the smoke/ Lookin’ back, I probably should have known/ But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin’ alone.”
While Steinfeld has thus far made most of her name as a musician through singles from the soundtracks of her acting projects, “Wrong Direction” proves that she’s no one-trick pony: she can make us sing and dance while also ripping our hearts from our chests. While her music career is still rather underdeveloped and has room for improvement, Steinfeld has already shown that both vocal ability and versatility have entered the chat.
With the release of the EP’s second single “I Love You’s”—an ode to the Annie Lennox classic “No More I Love You’s”—Steinfeld blended her newfound taste for melancholy with her penchant for entertaining, melodic dance-pop. “I Love You’s,” a breakup earworm rumored to be about Steinfeld’s broken relationship with former One Direction member Niall Horan, makes use of irresistible hooks and memorable lyrics. “Diamonds won’t fool me ‘cause I’m too far gone/ Wish I could get back the air in my lungs/ I’ve been so fucked up it’s bad for my heart,” she sings over upbeat production. “I blamed it on the time zones/ I blamed it on my eyes closed/ I blamed it on the world like it owes me/ So stop me before it’s too late/ No more I love you’s/ Until I’m okay.” While a common complaint against Steinfeld’s previous releases was that she lacked personality, “I Love You’s” solidifies what her fans already knew to be true: she knows what she’s doing”.
To finish off, Beyond the Stage definitely threw their weight and support behind Half Written Story. They were definitely enriched and impressed by what they heard:
“Beginning with “I Love You’s,” Steinfeld sets the tone for the EP. She brings her usual pop sound and beat with sad and heavy lyrics. With an intriguing hook coming at the beginning, she pulls you in immediately. The song makes it clear that she is not okay through the lyrics “no more I love you’s / until I’m okay.” She also makes the song feel relatable by saying it’s too easy to say I love you because many listeners have probably regretted or questioned their use of it before. The most memorable lyrics are “I blamed it on the time zones/ I blamed it on my eyes closed/ I blamed it on the world like it owes me.” The direct meaning is a little ambiguous, but she makes self-blame a theme of this EP.
“Your Name Hurts” followed with a sound similar to much of Julia Michaels’s music. It has that background sound and faint pop beat, creating a song that many would slow dance to. It feels even more personal than “I Love You’s” because of the blatant connection to a past relationship that filled her with happiness, but left her with sadness and without a part of herself when it fell apart. Considering it plays on the EP title Half Written Story with the lyrics “We’re a half-written story without any ending / You left me to figure it out / Filled me with ecstasy, left with the best of me / But where’s the rest of me now,” I believe it should have been the opener. As what I think is the most powerful song on the album, I think she needed to make more of a statement with it.
The third song “End This (L.O.V.E.)” is a take on the romantic classic “L-o-v-e (L Is For The Way You Look At Me)” by The Hit Crew. Obviously, Steinfeld’s version is not as sweet and tender as the original. It is actually quite the opposite. The song shines light on an ex as a vindictive liar with the chorus “L is for the way you lied to me / O is I’m the only one who sees that / V, you’re so vindictive, so I’ll be vicious / And E-N-D this L-O-V-E, love, love.” Steinfeld flips the tone to gratefulness through the lyrics “No one’s ever messed me up like you did / Thanks to you, babe, now I know what love is.” She’s recognizing that the pain she went through taught her what love is.
“Man Up” is a different vibe than the rest of the EP and almost feels like it doesn’t belong. Even though it maintains the theme of the rest of the songs, the actual sound is a little off, most likely because of the rap. While I respect her expanding her genre and trying something new and creative, I don’t believe it fits well with the story she is telling. While the other songs do reference the other person’s faults in her relationships, they focused more on her emotions after, whereas this song really isn’t about her. I do like the song, but I wish it had been a single instead of being a direct part of this “half written story.”
The last song on the EP was released back on New Year’s Day as a single with a music video following. “Wrong Direction” was the first glimpse into her emotions and into one specific public breakup that broke more than just her heart. It also hinted at what her newest music would feel like, represent, and sound like. She ends the album with a powerful song about not seeing the red flags. Opening with “I don’t hate you / No, I couldn’t if I wanted to / I just hate all the hurt that you put me through / And that I blame myself for letting you,” she shares that she blames herself for letting her ex hurt her in their relationship and not seeing the issues sooner. By making it the last song on the EP, she ends it all with reflection, leaving the next step ambiguous and listeners with a cliff-hanger about what’s to come.
Overall, the EP is cohesive give or take “Man Up.” Filled with strong and deep lyrics and flowing melodies, it is a beautiful story of her heartbreak. Half Written Story made me feel every emotion with Steinfeld and I can’t wait to eventually hear the ending”.
A great E.P. that I have been listening to a bit lately, Half Written Story was the much-anticipated second studio release from Hailee Steinfeld. With some standout moments and enough to please any Pop listener, I think that it is an E.P. that should be aired more and get some more play today. There will be a lot from Steinfeld to come. Have a listen to Half Written Story and…
SEE what you think.