"Ego" is a song by the American singer Halsey from her fifth studio album, '' The Great Impersonator'' (2024). It was released through

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

on September 6, 2024, as the album's third single. Halsey wrote the song along with Gregory Aldae Hein and

Greg Kurstin Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and contributed to five songs that pe ...

, while Kurstin, Wyatt Bernard, Michael Uzowuru, and Austin Corona handled its production. "Ego" is a 1990s-inspired

alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...

, and

pop-punk Pop-punk (also punk-pop, alternatively spelled without the hyphen) is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop music, pop. It is defined by its fast-paced, energetic tempos, and emphasis on classic pop s ...

track driven by guitar and drums, with an anthemic energy and lyrics about Halsey's personal struggles and insecurities with her public

persona A persona (plural personae or personas) is a strategic mask of identity in public, the public image of one's personality, the social role that one adopts, or simply a fictional Character (arts), character. It is also considered "an intermediary ...

. It was influenced by

Dolores O'Riordan Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan ( ; 6 September 1971 – 15 January 2018) was an Irish musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band The Cranberries. O'Riordan was the principal songwriter of ...

the Cranberries The Cranberries were an Irish rock music, rock band formed in Limerick in 1989. The band was composed of lead singer and guitarist Dolores O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan (Noel's brother), and drummer Fergal Lawler. O'Riord ...

, whom Halsey impersonated as part of the album's promotion. Upon its release, the song was met with a positive reception from music critics, who noted similarities with the works of O'Riordan and the bands

Garbage Garbage, trash (American English), rubbish (British English), or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or ...

and

No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California in 1986. For most of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist and founding member Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young. Keyboar ...

. Commercially, the song appeared on secondary charts in five countries, including on the US

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...

. An accompanying self-written and self-directed music video for "Ego" was released to Halsey's

Vevo Vevo LLC ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized in all caps until 2013) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available ...

channel; it sees the singer playing two gender roles representing two versions of herself. She performed "Ego" at the

2024 MTV Video Music Awards The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards were held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on September 10, 2024, but was rescheduled to a day later to avoid conflicts with the pr ...

, joined by a

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...

band that included

Måneskin is an Italian Rock music, rock band formed in Rome in 2016. The band is composed of lead vocalist Damiano David, bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi, and drummer Ethan Torchio. Performing in the streets in their early days, Mån ...

's bassist

Victoria De Angelis Victoria De Angelis (, ; born 28 April 2000), also known mononymously as Victoria, is an Italian bass player, songwriter, producer, and DJ. She founded the rock band Måneskin in 2016 in Rome alongside guitarist Thomas Raggi, lead vocalist Dam ...

Background and release

Halsey first previewed a new album in June 2024 with the release of "

The End The End may refer to: Film * The End (1953 film), ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine * The End (1978 film), ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds * ''The End'' (1995 film), a List of Canadian films of 1995, Cana ...

", where she revealed how she was informed of her

lupus Lupus, formally called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Common ...

and T cell disorder diagnosis. It was followed by " Lucky" and " Lonely Is the Muse", on which Halsey explored themes of health issues and self-worth. At the end of August, she announced her fifth studio album titled '' The Great Impersonator''; in its accompanying trailer, she says: "I really thought this album might be the last one I ever made".

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

released "Ego" on September 6, 2024, as the third single from ''The Great Impersonator''. A week after, Sony Music Italy sent the song to Italian

radio airplay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...

. Halsey expressed her desire for fans to "listen closely" to the track. On September 25, she revealed the album's track listing, in which "Ego" appears as the second song. She hosted a countdown on social media where she impersonated artists who influenced each album track; for "Ego", Halsey channeled

Composition

"Ego" is 3 minutes and 18 seconds long. Halsey co-wrote the song with Gregory Aldae Hein and

, while the latter, Wyatt Bernard, Michael Uzowuru, and Austin Corona handled its production. They played various instruments, accompanied by

Alex G Alexander Giannascoli (born February 3, 1993), better known by his stage names Alex G or, formerly, (Sandy) Alex G, is an American musician, producer, and singer-songwriter. He started his career playing in multiple local bands such as the Skin ...

on guitar and Dylan Wiggins on drums. The song was engineered by Kurstin, Matt Tuggle, and Julian Burg; they were accompanied by Kieran Beardmore and Matt Wolach as assistant engineers. Caleb Laven served as the vocal producer, Sean Matsukawa as the recording engineer,

Randy Merrill Randy Merrill is an American mastering engineer who has worked with international artists including Blink-182, DAY6, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Harry Styles, One Direction, Adele, Imagine Dragons, Beck, Liam Gallagher, Jonas Brothers, Muse ...

as the

mastering engineer Mastering is a form of audio post production which is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the Audio mixing (recorded music), final mix to a data storage device called a master recording, the source ...

, and

Spike Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran ...

as the

mixing engineer A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is responsible for combining ("mixing") different sonic elements of an auditory piece into a complete rendition (also known as "final mix" or "mixdown"), whether in music, film, or any other content of a ...

. Music critics labeled "Ego" as an

, and

track, inspired by 1990s music. Containing powerful drums and guitar lines, it was described by critics as anthemic. The song continues Halsey "exploration of different musical eras", according to Jessica Lynch of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

''. Critics believed it was reminiscent to the works of O'Riordan, especially for its "doo doo doo" vocalizations. ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...

'' Karlie Rogers compared it to other Halsey songs like '' Manic'' "3AM" (2020) and ''

If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power ''If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Halsey (singer), Halsey, released on August 27, 2021, by Capitol Records. Produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails, the album mar ...

'' "Easier than Lying" (2021). ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' Emily Zemler drew similarities between the propulsive chorus of "Ego" and the music of the bands

and

, while ''

Beats Per Minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...

'' John Amen found it reminiscent to the

Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, she became a cultural phenomenon during the mid 199 ...

album ''

Jagged Little Pill ''Jagged Little Pill'' is the third studio album by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick (company), Maverick on June 13, 1995. Recorded in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood at Westlake Recording Studios, Westlake wit ...

'' (1995). Additionally, ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...

'' Sal Cinquemani thought that it is "something

Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in popularizing pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. List of awa ...

would sing". The lyrics of the song are vulnerable and confessional, describing an inner battle with herself and her public

, as she sings, "And I'm nervous what you'll think of me now". At the end of "Ego" bridge, Halsey reflects on how she "disguised erillness", referencing her diagnosis: "Who am I kidding? / I'm doing way worse than I'm admitting". An internal battle with herself, the song ends with the lyric, "I'm really not that happy being me".

Reception

Critics were positive about the songwriting on "Ego". Aaron Williams of ''

Uproxx Uproxx Studios (stylized as ''UPROXX'') is an American music, entertainment and popular culture website and content studio. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater. The website was acquired in 2014 by Woven Digital (which later ...

'' wrote that it "projects all of the vulnerable, confessional energy" from ''The Great Impersonator'' previous singles. Maria Sherman from the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

said that the song is part of a return to "the music that made Halsey a teenage superstar". Andrew Unterberger of ''

'' praised the song's "brutal"

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

and said that it showcases Halsey as "one of the most vital songwriters and performers in either pop or rock". The staff of the latter magazine included "Ego" on its year-end list of the best songs of 2024, at number 70; Stephen Daw believed that Halsey retained the "honest" lyricism from ''The Great Impersonator'' on "Ego", and described the song as a "musically rollicking new addition to her discography". Commercially, "Ego" reached secondary charts in five countries. In the United States, it peaked at number 18 on the

, while additionally reaching numbers 25 and 28 on the

Adult Pop Airplay The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data System ...

and

Pop Airplay Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...

charts, respectively; the latter two issued for October 26, 2024. It appeared in two ''Billboard'' radio charts in Canada, at number 34 on the

Canada CHR/Top 40 The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

and number 39 on the

Canada Hot AC The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

. "Ego" also charted in the Czech Republic Rádio – Top 100, Japan Hot Overseas, and New Zealand Hot Singles charts.

Music video

Halsey wrote and directed the music video for "Ego", which was also released on September 6, 2024. It depicts Halsey playing two characters representing two versions of herself. One has long red hair with makeup and a black dress, while the other has short hair of the same color, wearing no makeup and a

tuxedo Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal ...

. As the video progresses, they are seen eating dinner and chasing and trying to kill one another around a house. Dylan Kickham of ''

Nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...

'' believed the video is similar to the 2005 American film '' Mr. & Mrs. Smith''.

Live performances

Prior to its release, Halsey debuted "Ego" during an intimate live show at London Koko in August 2024. She told the crowd: "I've been teasing a new song for the past couple of days ..You guys are the first people in the world to hear it". On September 11, 2024, Halsey performed "Ego" at the

alongside a band formed by her "dream '90s

band", with

on bass, Jazzelle Zanaughtti on synthesizers, and Maya Stepansky on drums. It started with Halsey riding across the stage on a bicycle, and then she opened the garage door of a house to reveal the special guests and perform the song. Megan Armstrong from ''

'' drew comparisons to the 2003 American film ''

Freaky Friday ''Freaky Friday'' is a comedic children's novel written by Mary Rodgers, first published by Harper & Row in 1972. The plot is set in a day in the life of 13-year-old Annabel Andrews and her mother, who spend one Friday in each other's bodies. ...

''. After the performance, Halsey captioned an

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

post with: "I'm so proud of this whole performance and I built every detail of it myself because I was determined to go up there and have FUN". In an interview with

Alexandra Cooper Alexandra Cooper (born August 21, 1994) is an American podcaster, who co-created and hosts '' Call Her Daddy'', a weekly comedy and advice podcast on Spotify. In 2021, ''Time Magazine'' called her "arguably the most successful woman in podcastin ...

on '' Call Her Daddy'', the singer said that she experienced a lupus flare brought on by the stress of the rehearsals for the performance. For the live debut of ''The Great Impersonator'', Halsey performed "Ego" as part of a live-streamed Halloween show at '' Amazon Music Live''. It was included in the set list for the 1990s era, in which she also played

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

renditions of " You Should Be Sad" (2020) and "

Colors Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

" (2016). On March 7, 2025, Halsey performed the track at the Sips and Sounds Festival in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

Personnel

The credits shown below are adapted from

Apple Music Apple Music is an audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users can select music to stream to their device on-demand, or listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the sister internet radio stations Apple Musi ...

. * Halsey – vocals, songwriter *

– drums, bass, percussion, electric guitar, songwriter, producer,

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

* Wyatt Bernard – keyboards, producer * Michael Uzowuru – keyboards, producer *

– guitar * Austin Corona – guitar, producer * Dylan Wiggins – drums * Gregory Aldae Hein – songwriter * Caleb Laven – vocal producer * Julian Burg – engineer * Matt Tuggle – engineer * Sean Matsukawa – recording engineer * Matt Wolach – assistant engineer * Kieran Beardmore – assistant engineer * Randy Merrill –

Mark "Spike" Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran, ...

–

Charts

References

{{Halsey 2024 singles 2024 songs Halsey (singer) songs Songs written by Halsey (singer) Songs written by Greg Kurstin Song recordings produced by Greg Kurstin American alternative rock songs American pop rock songs American pop punk songs