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Media Review

Hailee Steinfeld – Half Written Story EP

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Hailee Steinfeld - Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld - Hailee Steinfeld
4.7

Rating

 4.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Five modern, great songs
  • Superb range of genres and atmopshere
  • Lovely voice
  • Multi-talented young artist you just have to enjoy

Already being nominated for the Academy Awards at the age does not sound to be an introduction for a musical album – but Hailee Steinfeld is not only big in acting, she also works as a model and publishes music. I ran into her second EP Half Written Story, which is the second one she released so far. The publishing date was 8th May 2020.

 

Hailee Steinfeld – About The Artist

Hailee Steinfeld was born on 11th December 1996 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California. She already started acting at the age of 10 and participated in a couple of short movie. Her camera breakthrough was the role of Mattie Ross in True Grit, which she played at the age of 13 and got massive reviews for that, including an Oscar nomination for the Best Supporting Actress. This also boosted her career as a model. Her next role, Juliet Capulet in the 2013 adoption of Romeo and Juliet was adopted due to her low age and intended scenes of nudity. She played in a wide series of movies. In 2015, she acted in Pitch Perfect 2, and also performed Flashlight in this movie, which was her breakthrough in music as well. Her debut EP Haiz was released in the same year and lead to medium chart positions in the USA, Canada and Japan.

 

Hailee Steinfeld – Half Written Story – Track by Track

The five song EP lasts 17 minutes.

1.  I Love You’s

The first song of this EP starts with a quote of Annie Lennox famous No More “I Love You’s” and in fact the song is featuring this song repeatedly. It is still an independent interpretation with new lyrics. I typically do not like these pop cover versions too much, but I just cannot stand this one. 5 million viewers on YouTube just cannot be too wrong – and they ain’t, I feel.

2. Your Name Hurts

Your Name Hurts is a very different song. Very thoughtful, lovely singing, but still really good pop sound, which even has a touch of hip hop in few passages to me. Cool!

3. End this (L.O.V.E.)

L is for the way you lied to me
O is I’m the only one who sees that
V, you’re so vindictive, so I’ll be vicious
And E-N-D this L-O-V-E, love, love

This track is now quite strong heading towards hip hop. That’s definitely not my kind of genre, but this track, again, is just cool, great production – and it still allows Steinfeld her vocals skills. Good listen.

4. Man Up

The song starts with a smile to me: a baby cry and kids stating Man up, little boy, won’t you man up? at the beginning is quite unexpected. Quite hard lyrics following

My brother hates you, my mother hates you
My father and sister, too
Wait, I don’t even have a sister
But if I did, she’d hate you
Everything is in past tense
‘Cause we’re definitely more than through
And I’m running, running, running, running
Out of ways to get through to you

The song definitely has a nice groove, though I would see it as my least favorite one of this EP – I am sure that other generations of music listeners will love that one, though.

5. Wrong Direction

Steinfeld released this amazing ballad three months before the EP. That’s music which touches my heart and just does not get out of it any more. Wow, a great ballad with classic piano sounds in the background, which still feels modern. Very intense production. Great!

 

Hailee Steinfeld – Half Written Story – Spotify

Here is the Spotify preview of the EP:

 

Hailee Steinfeld – Half Written Story – My View

I guess I am more and more boring you when when I repeatedly say that an EP should showcase an artist in my point of view. Four to six songs, which just show the singer or the band in different moods, different circumstances. Even I might never end up in the first three rows of a Hailee Steinfeld concert (also because I hate to wait in front of the venue for too long…), her Half Written Story is exactly what an EP should be about in my point of view. Five good or great songs, very wide range of sound, but still fascinating. After the amazing album by Wade Bowen and Randy Rogers, this is just another Top Pick! highlight on this 8th May 2020.

 

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