Halsey reveals she considered sex work when she was homeless as a teenager

‘A series of unfortunate circumstances lead me to be in that position, and it can happen to absolutely anyone’

(Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for My Friend's Place)

Halsey has shared her own experiences of youth homelessness in an emotional speech.

The singer, born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, attended the Ending Youth Homelessness: A Benefit for My Friend’s Place gala in Los Angeles on Saturday, 6 April.

Taking to the stage, she said: “When I was living in New York, I was a teenager. My friends were picking out decorations for their dorms, and I was debating on whether or not I should let a stranger inside of me so I could pay for my next meal.”

“It wasn’t because I did something bad. It wasn’t because something was wrong with me, and it wasn’t because my parents didn’t love me—because they did very much,” she added. “But a series of unfortunate circumstances lead me to be in that position, and it can happen to absolutely anyone.”

When she was 19, Halsey’s parents kicked her out of their home after she quit community college.

She talked about how her life changed completely when she met Capitol Music Group’s Jeremy Vuernick, who offered her a record deal.

“When I met him, I had crazy hair, I had one demo in my pocket and I was carrying a gray duffel bag,” she said. “Sat down in his office, at his cubicle, and he asked me, ‘What’s in the bag?’ I looked him dead in the eyes and I said, ‘This is my house.’”

She continued: ”I need you guys to realise that and while it’s very exciting that I am a record-selling, show-playing pop star, when I tell people that story, they go, ‘Oh my gosh, you went from being homeless to being a pop star, that’s amazing, we should help these people because we don’t know what they could become.' Wrong. We shouldn’t help we think because there’s a chance that they could turn into a celebrity. We shouldn’t help because they could really make something of themselves—because they are something right now.”

“I know better than anyone how important having a creative outlet is when you’re in a time of need, but this is so much bigger than arts and crafts. This is life or death, and I hope that you take it very, very seriously. I really do.”