Finally // Beautiful Stranger
{{short description|2019 promotional single by Halsey}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Finally // Beautiful Stranger
| cover = Halsey - Finally Beautiful Stranger.png
| alt =
| type = Promotional single
| artist = Halsey
| album = Manic
| B-side = Suga's Interlude
| released = {{start date|2019|12|06}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country rock{{cite magazine |last1=Sheffield |first1=Rob |title=Halsey's 'Manic' is a Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mess |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/halseys-manic-936961/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=16 January 2020 |date=January 14, 2020 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230424/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/halseys-manic-936961/ |url-status=live }}
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=41}}
| label = Capitol
| writer = * Ashley Frangipane
| producer = Greg Kurstin
| chronology = Halsey promotional singles
| prev_title = Clementine
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Suga's Interlude
| next_year = 2019
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|ONS51QzCh1Y|"Finally // Beautiful Stranger"}}|type=song}}
}}
"Finally // Beautiful Stranger" (stylized in sentence case){{cite web|title=Finally // beautiful stranger|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/30MFzDqEWHe5v0XUsGGUJF|website=Spotify|access-date=December 15, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230423/https://open.spotify.com/album/30MFzDqEWHe5v0XUsGGUJF|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://music.amazon.com/playlists/B07V3BXP11?trackAsin=B07XQY78XL|title=Amazon Music - Browse Playlists|website=Amazon Music|access-date=December 15, 2019|archive-date=December 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217163822/https://music.amazon.com/playlists/B07V3BXP11%3FtrackAsin%3DB07XQY78XL|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Finally_beautiful_stranger?id=B4sf53nnipyl6qjhpwjrjaknszy&hl=en_US|title=Halsey: Finally // beautiful stranger - Music on Google Play|website=Google Play Music|access-date=December 15, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230424/https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Finally_beautiful_stranger?id=B4sf53nnipyl6qjhpwjrjaknszy&hl=en_US|url-status=live}} is a song by American singer Halsey. It was released on December 6, 2019 through Capitol Records as the second promotional single from her third studio album, Manic (2020). The song was released simultaneously with the album's third promotional single "Suga's Interlude".{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/3148037/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-video-sugas-interlude/|title=Halsey Falls For A 'Beautiful Stranger' And Reunites With Suga On Her Two New Songs|last=Roth|first=Madeline|website=MTV News|access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230437/http://www.mtv.com/news/3148037/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-video-sugas-interlude/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://magic983.com/2019/12/06/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-sugas-interlude/|title=Halsey Releases 'Finally // Beautiful Stranger' And 'Suga's Interlude'|date=December 6, 2019|website=Magic 98.3 FM|access-date=December 15, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230448/https://magic983.com/2019/12/06/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-sugas-interlude/|url-status=live}}
On January 25, 2020, Halsey performed "Finally // Beautiful Stranger" on Saturday Night Live.{{cite web|url=http://snlarchives.net/Episodes/?2020012514|title=SNL Archives {{!}} Episodes {{!}} 01.25.2020 #14|work=SNL Archives|last=Navaroli|first=Joel|accessdate=June 7, 2021}}
Background
The song was announced on December 3, 2019 through social media.{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/halsey/status/1201909689631436800 |title=Twitter - "January 17, 2020" |access-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230450/https://twitter.com/halsey/status/1201909689631436800 |url-status=live }} In an Instagram livestream on December 3, 2019 Halsey announced that she was releasing two new songs and a music video on Friday December 6, 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://iglives.tv/halsey-instagram-live-stream-3-december-2019/ |title=IG Lives - "Halsey {{!}} Instagram Live Stream {{!}} 3 December 2019" |date=December 3, 2019 |access-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230451/https://iglives.tv/halsey-instagram-live-stream-3-december-2019/ |url-status=live }} On December 5, 2019 she revealed that those two songs are "Finally // Beautiful Stranger" and "Suga's Interlude".{{Cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B5q_B19JPRF/ |title=Instagram - "I'm releasing 2 songs from Manic on Friday. "Finally // beautiful stranger" and "SUGA's Interlude". Two very different songs. Two very dreamy stories." |access-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230453/https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/p/B5q_B19JPRF/ |url-status=live }} Halsey described both songs as "very different [...] very dreamy stories." She revealed in an interview with Zane Lowe for Beats 1 that she wrote it at home in her living room at "two in the morning when I was dating Dom," thinking about the night that they met, written with just her voice and a guitar at first. She said that, after listening, her friends described it as "the best song I'd ever written".{{Citation|title=Manic by Halsey on Apple Music|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/manic/1479627997|publisher=Apple Music|language=en-us|access-date=January 18, 2020|archive-date=April 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415032149/https://music.apple.com/us/album/manic/1479627997|url-status=live}}
Critical reception
Koltan Greenwood from Alternative Press described the song as a "moving, emotional song that explores first love and the emotions it causes".{{cite web |last=Greenwood |first=Koltan |title=Halsey Explores First Love in Moving "Finally // Beautiful Stranger" Video |url=https://www.altpress.com/news/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-new-song-suga-bts-interlude-manic/ |website=Alternative Press |date=December 6, 2019 |access-date=December 14, 2019 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230501/https://www.altpress.com/news/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-new-song-suga-bts-interlude-manic/ |url-status=live }} Nina Corcoran of Consequence of Sound labeled the chorus the "real highlight", as Halsey "belts the title with some heartbreaking voice cracks".{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2019/12/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-bts-sugas-interlude-stream/|title=Halsey shares new songs "Suga's Interlude" and "Finally // Beautiful Stranger": Stream|website=Consequence of Sound|date=December 6, 2019 |access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230502/https://consequence.net/2019/12/halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-bts-sugas-interlude-stream/|url-status=live}} Madeline Roth, writing for MTV News, described the track as a whole as a "country-tinged, guitar-led love song", noting that it sounded "a bit like Lady Gaga's 'You and I'". In an article for E! News, Billy Nilles noted the track as a "true standout" and described the production as "stripped-back" with "gentle guitar" and as a "country-kissed little number that lets her vulnerabilities take center stage as she sings about first love".{{Cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1100387/the-mixtape-presents-harry-styles-camila-cabello-and-more-new-music-musts|title=The MixtapE! Presents Harry Styles, Camila Cabello and More New Music|last=Nilles|first=Billy|website=E! News|date=December 6, 2019 |access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230505/https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1100387/the-mixtape-presents-harry-styles-camila-cabello-and-more-new-music-musts|url-status=live}} Lexi Lane from Atwood Magazine praised the song and its lyrics, stating that the track puts "Halsey's songwriting talents to the forefront and is arguably her strongest song lyrically" and called the song as a whole "well-crafted".{{Cite web|url=http://atwoodmagazine.com/fbsi-halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-sugas-interlude-song-review/|title=Halsey Displays Duality in New Songs "Finally // beautiful stranger" and "SUGA's Interlude"|last=Lane|first=Lexi|website=Atwood Magazine|date=December 13, 2019 |access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230509/https://atwoodmagazine.com/fbsi-halsey-finally-beautiful-stranger-sugas-interlude-song-review/|url-status=live}}
Music video
A music video for the song was released on December 6, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONS51QzCh1Y|title=Halsey - Finally // beautiful stranger|date=December 5, 2019 |via=YouTube|archive-date=December 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216010044/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONS51QzCh1Y|url-status=live}} The video was directed by Patrick Tracy and showcases Halsey performing the song on a guitar in two different bar settings.{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/halsey_drops_finally_beautiful_stranger_video|title=Halsey Drops "Finally // Beautiful Stranger" Video|last=Murphy|first=Sarah|website=Exclaim!|access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917230507/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/halsey_drops_finally_beautiful_stranger_video|url-status=live}} As of June 2021, it has over 22 million views on YouTube.
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Halsey|title=Finally // Beautiful Stranger |type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|access-date=March 12, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Halsey|title=Finally // Beautiful Stranger|award=Gold|type=single|certyear=2021|relyear=2019|accessdate=June 24, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true|nosales=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Region
! Date ! Format ! Label ! Ref |
|---|
| scope="row"| Various
| December 6, 2019 | Capitol | {{center|{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/30MFzDqEWHe5v0XUsGGUJF?si=4yOkQk4PSpiUEjtFqRI8Zw|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505060248/https://open.spotify.com/album/30MFzDqEWHe5v0XUsGGUJF?si=4yOkQk4PSpiUEjtFqRI8Zw|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2020|title=Spotify| website=Spotify |date=December 10, 2019|access-date=May 5, 2020}}}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Halsey}}
{{authority control}}
Category:American country music songs
Category:Halsey (singer) songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Greg Kurstin
Category:Songs written by Greg Kurstin