Halsey dropped the definitely NSFW video for their new single, “safeword,” on Thursday (Feb. 27) after teasing a 13-second preview of the track earlier this week. As promised in the sneak peek, the S&M-themed video directed by provocative stylist and Sedition Magazine editor-in-chief Lana Jay Lackey opens with a close-up of the singer rocking black-and-silver studded thong underwear, a leather jacket, leather cap and knee-high, studded, stiletto boots.
As the song’s distorted guitar and manic, galloping rhythm kicks in, Halsey dives into dominatrix mode, kicking a leather-masked man laying on the floor in his head as they sing in a riot grrrl-inflected yelp, “Pin me to the floor, swing me by the neck/ Locked behind a door, it is time yet, time yet?/ Don’t be such a bore, gimme respect/ Are you feeling sore? Are you wet yet, wet yet?”
Soon enough, it’s Halsey who is on the other end, as someone ties a rope around their body, pinning it to a chair as she engages in puppy play and lays prone on a table while a leather-masked dom in a suit spanks their lingerie-clad bottom before menacingly chomping on an apple. The urgent, digital hardcore-edged song hurtles to the howled chorus, “Oh, can you take it, baby?/ Oh can you handle it?/ Don’t tell me what to do, I’m gonna stand it,” with Halsey making it clear “you’re not the boss of me.”
The singer strikes a series of provocative poses throughout the rest of the clip, hanging upside down by her ankles in a mesh bra top and matching leggings — her private parts covered by black stars and a merkin — and sipping from a shake perched on a tray held up by a latex-encased living coffee table. Little is left to the imagination in the video, which also includes scenes of simulated masturbation, light pony play as Halsey rides a ball-gagged human horse and a scene of the singer trussed up and wearing a lamp shade, as well as other envelope-pushing images that bring to mind Madonna’s 1992 Sex book.
The high-energy single comes just a few months after Halsey dropped her fifth studio album, The Great Impersonator, yet another artistic pivot from the singer in which she took on a variety of musical personas on the confessional, eclectic concept album that spotlighted a mix of pop, folk and rock. It was set up by a teaser campaign in which she paid homage to a number of the LP’s inspirations, including Dolly Parton, PJ Harvey, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen, Kate Bush, Cher and Britney Spears, among others.
Halsey also recently announced the dates for their upcoming spring/summer 2025 Halsey: For My Last Trick tour. The 32-city Live Nation-promoted trek in support of the singer’s Columbia Records debut is slated to kick off on May 10 at the Toyota Pavilion at Concord in Concord, CA, keeping them on the road through a July 6 show at the Yaamava’ Theater in Highland, CA.
Joining Halsey on their first headlining tour in three years will be: Del Water Gap, The Warning, Evanescence, Alvvays, Hope Tala, Royel Otis, Sir Chloe, flowerlove, Magdalena Bay and Alemeda joining on select dates.
Watch the “safeword” video below.
