Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, professionally known as Halsey, was born on September 29, 1994, in Edison, New Jersey, to Nicolette "Nicole" Frangipane, an emergency medical technician, and Christopher Michael "Chris" Frangipane, a car dealer.
Her parents' diverse backgrounds have had a significant impact on her life, as she is of Italian, Hungarian, and Irish descent on her mother's side and African-American on her father's side.
Growing up, Halsey developed a passion for music, initially playing the violin, viola, and cello, before transitioning to the acoustic guitar at the age of 14.
In one of her earliest interviews, Halsey revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder around the age of 16 or 17, an experience that has greatly influenced her life and career.
When she was 18, Halsey faced financial difficulties and turned to music as a means to pay her rent. She began performing at numerous acoustic shows in various cities under different stage names.
Halsey chose her moniker because it is an anagram of her real name as well as a street in Brooklyn where she spent a significant amount of time during her teenage years.
Initially, Halsey had planned to attend college and major in fine arts, but after realizing she could not afford it, she instead enrolled in a community college as a creative writing major.
In an interview, Halsey was quoted as using the term "tri-bi" to identify herself, although she has since distanced herself from it, claiming she was misquoted.
