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Halsey Battles Illness While Prepping Emotional ‘Back to Badlands’ Anniversary Tour
Grammy-nominated artist Halsey is refusing to slow down. Even as she undergoes chemo for lupus and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, the 30-year-old singer is preparing to relive her career-defining debut with the “Back to Badlands” anniversary tour this fall.
Halsey, who first revealed her diagnoses in 2022, offered fans an unfiltered social media update in late September. “Just did another few sessions of chemo, had a new port placed,” she said, noting that rehearsals for the tour will begin “very soon.” Despite the health challenges, she promised an “unbelievable” show that will perform Badlands in its entirety alongside deep cuts and B-sides.
“Gasoline,” “Castle,” and “Control” are among the high-energy tracks that demand full effort from both the artist and the audience. “I’m bringing back a ton of really fun nostalgic references from the very first Badlands tour,” she teased, adding that she is “so excited” to reconnect with fans who have been there since the beginning.
Honoring Badlands was one of the milestones Halsey feared she might not achieve when she first became sick. “It’s all I ruminated on at the time—things I wanted to do and might not get the chance to do,” “Badlands was definitely one of them.”
The tour also carries poignant personal moments. While driving past the Hollywood Forever Cemetery—site of the opening shows—her fiancé, actor Avan Jogia, quipped, “You’re gonna be in there soon.” Halsey recalled feeling momentarily stunned before he clarified he meant “for your show” rather than anything more ominous. “I was like, ‘Oh, okay, that’s way better than what I thought you meant,’” she laughed.
Halsey is undergoing Chemotherapy for lupus and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder
Beyond touring, Halsey faces a creative standstill with Columbia Records, which, she said in a recent Apple Music interview, is blocking her from releasing a new album after The Great Impersonator underperformed commercially. “I can’t make an album right now—I’m not allowed to,” she explained, lamenting being held to pop-star metrics she no longer identifies with.
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Still, she continues to channel her experiences into music and advocacy. “Long story short, I’m lucky to be alive. Short story long, I wrote an album,” she posted when promoting The Great Impersonator, whose tracks like “The End” chronicle her ongoing medical battles.
Halsey’s “Back to Badlands” Tour kicks off Oct. 14 and runs through February 2026. For fans, it’s more than nostalgia—it’s a testament to resilience, creativity, and refusing to let illness or industry politics dim her vision.
