Singer Halsey sparked controversy after impersonating Aaliyah ahead of next week’s release of her latest album, The Great Impersonator, which is set to drop on October 25.

“Why is she cosplaying as a black woman?” one user asked on X after photos of Halsey impersonating the R&B singer in her iconic look from the 2001 album, Aaliyah, were released last Saturday (October 19).

Criticism wasn’t universal, however, as many of Halsey’s fans defended her transformation. “People need to stop. Halsey’s half-black herself,” one follower responded while sharing a photo of her African American father, Chris Frangipane.

While fans and detractors debated racial sensitivity and cultural appropriation, others dismissed the discussion entirely. “Even if she was fully white, what’s the problem?” a viewer asked, considering the tribute harmless regardless of the races of those involved.

Halsey’s recent tribute to R&B icon Aaliyah sparked debate among her followers as some accused her of doing “blackface”

Image credits: iamhalsey

“Day 13 of counting down to The Great Impersonator,” Halsey wrote in the post, accompanied by the cover of Aaliyah’s eponymous 2001 studio album, lauded as the best album of the year at the time by publications such as Time and BBC Music.

The album was released in July of 2001, just one month before Aaliyah’s tragic passing due to an airplane accident on August 25. 

“It is a good reflection of myself and the person I am today,” the then 22-year-old R&B singer said in an interview for Jet magazine. “I am a young adult now, and I think this album shows my growth vocally.”

Image credits: iamhalsey

For Halsey, who has done 13 impersonations so far, the promotional campaign serves as an opportunity to pay homage to her heroes, including those who have passed away earlier in their career, such as Dolores O’Riordan of Cranberries.

“I miss her so much. Thank you for this, Halsey,” said one of Aaliyah’s fans, echoing many comments that strayed away from the racial discussion to celebrate the tribute to the late R&B star.

Aaliyah’s 1998 hit, Are You That Somebody, served as inspiration for one of Halsey’s newest songs, Letter to God (1998)

Image credits: iamhalsey

Each post leading up to the release of The Great Impersonator is associated with a single. For Aaliyah, the songwriter chose her new track, Letter to God (1998), offering a small 16-second teaser.

“I layered this song with vocals from my son when he was a baby,” Halsey explained. The single provides a mystical and serene tone inspired by Aaliyah’s song Are You That Somebody.

Halsey and her father pic.twitter.com/h0jgabEMR9

— ms/mess/maker/ 🍏 (@ess_aker) October 20, 2024

Aaliyah’s single, released in May 1998, earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Performance. Timbaland, who produced the track, added a sample of a baby laughing, which became the song’s trademark.

While Halsey’s posts have been littered with comments accusing her of “blackface” and cultural appropriation, her fans have defended her, pointing to her upbringing and parentage.

Halsey comes from a mixed-race, middle-class family and has been labeled as “white-passing,” despite identifying as a black woman

Image credits: iamhalsey

Halsey, born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, was born in Edison, New Jersey, on September 29, 1994, and comes from humble beginnings.

Her parents, Nicole and Chris Frangipane, dropped out of college to take care of her once they discovered the pregnancy. Her mother is of Italian and Hungarian descent, while her father is primarily African American.

Her biracial descent has surprised many of her fans, as the singer has been labeled as “white-passing,” a fact she recognized herself during a 2017 interview with Playboy Magazine.

Image credits: iamhalsey

“I’m white-passing. I’ve accepted that about myself and have never tried to control anything about black culture that’s not mine,” Halsey explained, adding that despite her skin color, she still primarily identifies with her African American roots.

“I look like a white girl, but I don’t feel like one. I’m a black woman,” the singer explained. “So it’s been weird navigating that. When I was growing up, I didn’t know if I was supposed to love TLC or Britney,” she joked.

While most of her fans praised her for her portrayal of Aaliyah, others debated whether the tribute was appropriate due to the singer’s race

Image credits: iamhalsey

“I see no problems with this regardless of her race,” one user commented.

“Y’all know Halsey’s half-black, right?“ another replied. “Even if she wasn’t, why would that be a problem?“ 

“Finally! Someone black,“ one viewer pointed out. “Why do you people always have to make things about race? Who cares?“ another replied.

On the other hand, fans of the late R&B singer thanked Halsey for remembering the 2000s icon.

“A legend who was gone too soon,“ one of Aaliyah’s fans wrote. “She would love this; thank you, Halsey.“

With just four days to go, fans can expect more surprising and mind-blowing tributes from the artist and her team, who have proven to be excellent at transforming Halsey into various figures.

The Great Impersonator is expected to contain 18 songs and run more than 66 minutes. It will be released on October 25.

“Halsey’s mixed!” one user commented, as others joined in to debate the appropriateness of her Aaliyah tribute

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