Colors (Halsey song)

"Colors" is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey from her debut studio album, Badlands (2015). It was released on February 9, 2016, through Astralwerks as the album's third single. The song was made available as a 7-inch single and a five-track remix EP titled "Complementary Colors". As of January 2020, the song has reached over 240 million streams on Spotify.[1]

"Colors"
Single by Halsey
from the album Badlands
ReleasedFebruary 9, 2016 (2016-02-09)
GenreElectropop
Length4:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Dylan Bauld
Halsey singles chronology
"New Americana"
(2015)		 "Colors"
(2016)		 "Castle"
(2016)
Music video
”Colors" on YouTube

Background

An electropop song,[2] "Colors" was written by Halsey and Dylan Bauld, and produced by Dylan William. She stated during a performance at the Grammy Museum that she wrote most of the song, as a poem, at age 17, and later adapted it into a song two years later. She also stated it was one of her favorite songs that she wrote.[3] Halsey expressed to Complex magazine; "[Blue is] just my creative color. It's like so many things at once. It's electric, and it's bright, but it's also calm. It's also ethereal. Blue is just an otherworldly color to me. Blue is the sky. Blue is the sea. Blue for me represents the unexplored territory".[4] In another interview, she stated:

"My song 'Colors' is about being in a relationship with someone and kind of watching the vibrancy slowly start to leak out of them, watch the colors start to fade, whether they're falling victim to drugs or falling victim to work or any sort of negative behavior that's kind of taking them away from the bright and lively person that they used to be. You can kind of see them start to fade to gray, and you wish you had them back the way that they used to be".[5]

On January 21, 2016, Halsey revealed the single's artwork via Twitter. The art had been painted on the side of a building located at the intersection of Franklin Street and Meserole Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[6] The picture features a black human silhouette standing in front of a dark green background. Lilac paint splashes around the head of the figure, which is a reference to the song's bridge. Upon its release, MTV's contributor Madeline Roth compared the reveal to the advertising campaign preceding Justin Bieber's album Purpose.[7]

Music video

A music video for the single was directed by Tim Mattia and released on February 25, 2016.[8] Prior to its release, Halsey unveiled two teasers of the music video on her Twitter and Facebook account. She also announced that the video would premiere on February 25, 2016, and would co-star actor Tyler Posey.[9]

The video received a positive reception upon release, with critics mainly focusing on the video's plot twist. Nylon contrasted the song's "dreamy nature" with the video's roller coaster storyline.[10]

The music video was filmed in 1120 Westchester Place.[11]

Live performances

"Colors" was promoted by Halsey in a number of live appearances, including Jimmy Kimmel Live, Boston Calling Music Festival and at 02 Academy Islington, London.[12] She also performed the song at the Billboard Women in Music 2016 event.[13] In 2017, she performed the song at the ACLU benefit event.[14]

Track listing
  • Digital EP – "Complementary Colors"[15]
  1. "Colors" (Stripped) – 4:26
  2. "Colors" (Audien Remix) – 4:30
  3. "Colors" (Sam Feldt Remix) – 4:46
  4. "Colors" (Blonde Remix) – 4:58
  5. "Colors" (Joel Fletcher & Nathan Thomson Remix) – 4:11
  • Limited-edition 7-inch single[16]
A. "Colors" – 4:09
B. "Colors" (Stripped) – 4:26
  • Exclusive signed CD for "Camp Badlands" VIP Package
  1. "Colors" (Radio Edit) – 3:30
  2. "Colors" (Stripped) – 2:57
  3. "Garden" (Demo) – 3:00

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[17] 99
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[18] 24
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[19] 58
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[20] 66
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[21] 8
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[22] 23
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[23] 38

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[24] Gold 35,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[26] 2× Platinum 2,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States February 9, 2016 Adult album alternative radio
[27]
February 29, 2016 Hot adult contemporary radio [28]
March 1, 2016 Contemporary hit radio [29]
Various April 22, 2016 Digital EP – "Complementary Colors" Astralwerks [15]
United States June 17, 2016 7-inch single [30]
Various
(except United States)		 June 24, 2016 Virgin EMI [31]

References
  1. https://open.spotify.com/track/1TnUURhehaoMWKAqQtirm6?si=ZSFiC7mPTm2aA_DMuxe0Og
  2. Mike Wass (2016-01-07). "Halsey Preps "Colors" As The Third Single From 'Badlands'". Idolator. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  3. "Halsey: Colors - Live at the Grammy Museum". YouTube. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  4. Morris, Jessie. "Halsey Talks Her New Album, 'Badlands'". Complex. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  5. Corrinston, Michele (3 May 2016). "Halsey explains the meaning of her hit song 'Colors'". Sirius XM Holdings. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  6. "HALSEY ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE "COLORS" VIA BROOKLYN GRAFFITI". fuse.tv. Retrieved 2016-02-08.
  7. "Halsey Announced Her New Single In A Very Bieber-esque Way". mtv.com. Retrieved 2016-02-08.
  8. Geffen,Sasha. "HALSEY HAS A CRUSH ON TYLER POSEY IN THE 'COLORS' VIDEO — OR DOES SHE?". MTV.
  9. Lauletta, Tyler. "HALSEY DROPS TEASER FOR "COLORS" VIDEO FEAT. TYLER POSEY". Fuse.
  10. Hartounian, Nanor. "Halsey's New Music Video Will Take You On An Emotional Roller Coaster". Nylon.
  11. "If You're A Halsey And American Horror Story Fan You Might Need To Sit Down..." PopBuzz. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  12. "Live Review: Halsey @ O2 Academy Islington, London - Fortitude Magazine". fortitudemagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
  13. "the best live music performances - Halsey 'Colors' Live Performance | Billboard Women in Music 2016". Live Music Nation. 2017-12-18. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  14. "Halsey, Machine Gun Kelly, Skrillex and more to play ACLU benefit show". Alternative Press. 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
  15. "Complementary Colors – EP by Halsey". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  16. "Halsey Releases Limited Edition "Colors" 7"". Astralwerks. May 30, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  17. Ryan, Gavin (March 12, 2016). "ARIA Singles: Lukas Graham Spends 4th Week at No 1". Noise11. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  18. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201627 into search. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  19. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201614 into search. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  20. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201614 into search. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  21. "Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  22. "Halsey Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  23. "Halsey Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  24. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2017 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
  25. "British single certifications – Halsey – Colors". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 5, 2019. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Colors in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. "American single certifications – Halsey – Colors". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 16, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  27. "Alternative > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  28. "Hot/Modern/AC > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  29. "Top 40/Mainstream > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on February 19, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  30. Lantinen, Chris (May 20, 2016). "Halsey's 'Colors' 7-inch up for pre-order". Modern Vinyl. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  31. "Colors 7" Single". Virgin EMI Records. Archived from the original on August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
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