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Music critic Anthony Fantano speaks to Variety after being slammed by Halsey: “We’re talking about a two-year-old review here where I’ve remained mostly silent on the reception of the review, despite the fact that Halsey and her fans, for the duration of that time, have pushed the narrative that I disliked the album — or said in my assessment of the album that there was a ‘self-centeredness’ about it — because she was sick. That I specifically attacked this album and tore it apart because there’s some cartoonishly evil characteristic about me that somehow just singled this album out because of who she is or the illness that she suffered during that time in her life that inspired the record, which couldn’t be further from the truth... I’m not the devil himself for not enjoying this album. On top of that, it has nothing to do with Halsey being a woman. There are countless women whose projects I’ve championed over the years. I have no problem with enjoying and supporting the work of women, especially women who address serious issues in their work." variety.com/2026/music/news/…