Meaning of “Without Me” by Halsey

“Without Me” is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey. The lyrics of “Without Me” are about the regret the singer (Halsey) has after the end of a romantic relationship with her boyfriend. The boyfriend in question is American rapper G-Eazy whom she began dating in 2017. The pair split in July 2018. However, they got back together later.

According to Halsey, the recording process of the song was a very emotional one for her. On a Twitter post, she said she cried the entire time during the recording of the song.

On Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show, Halsey also referred to the song as a very personal one. She said it mainly talks about her life. However, after the song’s release she said she felt “empowered” and “proud”.

Facts about “Without Me”

• Halsey co-wrote this song with Louis Bell, Delacey and Amy Allen. Justin Timberlake is also credited as one of the writers of this track.
• American music producer and songwriter Louis Bell not only co-wrote the track but he also produced it.
• Halsey teased the track for the first time on in a tweet on August 8, 2018. The song was later premiered on October 4, 2018. The premiere was done during Halsey’s appearance on Zane Lowe’s show.
• Halsey didn’t release this track as Halsey. She released it under her real name Ashley. Since Halsey officially began her musical career in 2014, this is the first time she wrote a song under her real name Ashley. Her full name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane.
• In January 2019, “Without Me” reached number 1 on America’s Hot 100. This gave Halsey her first number 1 solo single. However, it’s worth mentioning that prior to that, she had achieved that feat with The Chainsmokers’ “Closer“.
• On January 9, 2019, Halsey released a remix version of this song. That version featured rapper Juice WRLD.

Does this song sample “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake?

It doesn’t actually sample “Cry Me a River”. However, it quotes some lyrics from it. The lyrics in question are:

“Does it ever get lonely, thinking you live without me?”

It is for this reason that Timberlake, Timberland and Scott Storch receive songwriting credit on the track. The trio wrote “Cry Me a River”.

Is there a music video for “Without Me”?

Yes. It was published on YouTube on October 29, 2018. Watch it below:

Which album is “Without Me” on?

It is a stand-alone single. Halsey herself confirmed this during her interview with Lowe.

Who sings the background vocals on “Without Me”?

The backing vocals on this track are provided by singer and songwriter Delacey.