Hailee Steinfeld pulled our heartstrings with her new extended play record (EP), “Half Written Story.” The first half of the two-part project is raw and unveiled with her feelings around her most recent relationship and how it ended. The second half, which will be released at the end of the summer, will focus on how she has moved on. Her style is a Taylor Swift-Halsey mashup that’s rich with metaphors, and she holds back no opinions in her lyrics.

Despite having a darker tone than her other upbeat pop releases, the songs are equally catchy. Steinfeld’s music is very expressive, no matter the emotion. Whether it’s because she’s an actress, or because that’s just how she sings, the listener can really feel Steinfeld’s emotions in the moment.

Similar to many of Steinfeld’s other songs, like her smashing hit “Most Girls”’ and “Love Myself,” Steinfeld focuses on her own self-worth and putting herself first in this album.

The first song featured is “I Love You’s,” a determined, painful song about taking care of one’s heart. The emotions are bare, and the overall lesson is important.

Steinfeld uses her deeper voice more throughout the EP, rather than the soprano we often hear, creating a moody theme that I just love. It feels a lot like Julia Micheals combined with witty lyrics. 

The best by far though has to be “Man Up.” It begins with children saying “man up” while babies cry in the background. That’s pretty much all you need to know. Her anger had hit its peak and finally made an appearance, creating a brutal but brilliant musical masterpiece.

For anyone who liked the confrontation and cleverness of Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” album, and all those out there who enjoy a classic break-up song, I recommend “Half-Written Story.” It can be found on most popular streaming platforms and is definitely worth a listen.