On May 14, under the haze of the Hollywood Bowl lights, Halsey brought her "For My Last Trick" tour to Los Angeles — and delivered a show that felt more like a surreal play than a pop concert. It was bold, emotional, and deeply personal. She pulled us into a world shaped by her struggles with illness, her experience as a mother, and her journey to rediscover herself as an artist.

The night began with two strong opening acts: first up was The Warning, a rock band made up of three sisters from Monterrey, Mexico. They played a high-energy, no-nonsense set that reminded everyone that rock is still alive — and in good hands. Then came Evanescence, led by the incredible Amy Lee. Her voice still sends chills, and hearing songs like "Bring Me to Life" live felt powerful and strangely fitting. The audience was fully locked in before Halsey even hit the stage.

A New Chapter on Stage

When she did, it was quiet at first. No big entrance. Just her, in layered clothes and smudged makeup, walking into a dim, dreamlike set — part hospital room, part garden, part Wonderland. The show was built around her newest album, The Great Impersonator, which she made while facing serious health challenges, including lupus and a rare T-cell disorder. She has spoken openly about how sick she felt while making this record, and how it pushed her to rethink who she really is when everything is stripped away.

Throughout the concert, Halsey played a mix of new songs and older ones, though the focus was clearly on the newer material. She opened with "Darwinism," followed by songs like "Bad at Love," "Alone," and "Lucky". Even when she performed older hits like "Closer" and "Colors," she changed them to fit the mood of the night. They were slower, rougher, less polished — like they’d been through something, just like her.

A standout moment came when Amy Lee returned to the stage and joined Halsey for the first live performance of their new song, "Hands That Feeds".

Ongoing Transformation

The Great Impersonator is Halsey’s most personal and varied album so far. She wrote it while dealing with serious health problems, and you can hear how that experience shaped the music. The album is influenced by artists like PJ Harvey, Alanis Morissette, Nine Inch Nails, and Amy Lee — Halsey doesn’t copy them, but uses their sound as a way to explore different sides of herself. This album moves away from the polished pop she was known for and leans into something more raw and honest.

The show also touched on themes from Alice in Wonderland — feeling out of place, too big or too small for the world around you. Halsey leaned into those ideas visually, sometimes appearing isolated within the set, other times standing with quiet confidence. The contrast gave the performance a sense of disorientation that matched the emotional tone of the music.

Motherhood was another layer that, while not directly addressed, felt present throughout the show — in her posture, her delivery, and the weight behind her voice. Halsey has spoken before about how becoming a mother while facing having a near death experience shifted her sense of self. This performance reflected that shift: stripped back, clear in purpose, and deeply personal.

As a whole, For My Last Trick doesn’t feel like a goodbye — it feels like a shift. The tour moves away from the polished image Halsey built in earlier years and focuses instead on something more honest and direct. It’s less about performance and more about clarity, showing an artist who’s choosing to let go of expectations and speak from where she actually is. Rather than closing a chapter, marks the start of a different approach — quieter, more thoughtful, and more her own.