Halsey hints that she may have given birth as she exposes her bare breast on new album cover

Halsey is making a bold statement with her forthcoming album.

The 26-year-old pop sensation unveiled the cover for her latest album – which sees her fully exposing one breast while styled as ‘Virgin and Child’ –  in a new Instagram post on Wednesday.

In a long caption, Halsey explained that the image was meant to celebrate ‘pregnant and postpartum bodies’ and the ‘joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth’, leading fans to believe that she recently had her baby. 

Iconic: Halsey unveiled the cover for her latest album – which sees her fully exposing one breast while styled as ‘Virgin and Child’ – in a new Instagram post on Wednesday that is leading fans to believe she has given birth

Halsey is seen in the album cover artwork modeled after the famous oil painting ‘Virgin and Child’ by Jean Fouquet.

She is seated on a throne that looks strikingly similar to the Game of Thrones’ Iron Throne but made of gold.

The singer wears a golden crown on her head and a lilac long sleeved gown unbuttoned at the bodice to expose one breast (just like the Fouquet painting). Seated in her lap is a baby wrapped in beige cloth. 

The image will be used as the cover for her fourth album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, which debuts August 27.

Inspiration: Halsey is seen in the album cover artwork modeled after the famous oil painting ‘Virgin and Child’ by Jean Fouquet (left)

Her meaning: In a long caption, Halsey explained that the image was meant to celebrate ‘pregnant and postpartum bodies’ and the ‘joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth’, leading fans to believe that she recently had her baby

‘This album is a concept album about the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth,’ Halsey penned in the caption. 

‘It was very important to me that the cover art conveyed the sentiment of my journey over the past few months,’ she continued. ‘The dichotomy of the Madonna and the Wh**e.’

The Madonna-Wh**re complex, to which the star is referring, is a Freudian psychological complex where males only have sexual desire for the ‘wh**re’ while being unable to become aroused by the ‘Madonna’ or pure woman. 

Halsey wrote: ‘The idea that me as a sexual being and my body as a vessel and gift to my child are two concepts that can co-exist peacefully and powerfully. 

New mom? Some fans responded to the Instagram post asking if the baby in the Without Me singers arms was, in fact, her own – particularly noting that she didn’t appear pregnant in the shot 

‘My body has belonged to the world in many different ways the past few years, and this image is my means of reclaiming my autonomy and establishing my pride and strength as a life force for my human being.

‘This cover image celebrates pregnant and postpartum bodies as something beautiful, to be admired,’ she concluded. ‘We have a long way to go with eradicating the social stigma around bodies & breastfeeding. I hope this can be a step in the right direction!’

Some fans responded to the Instagram post asking if the baby in the Without Me singers arms was, in fact, her own – particularly noting that she didn’t appear pregnant in the shot.

Additionally, her use of the terms ‘postpartum’, ‘breastfeeding’ and ‘childbirth’ make it seem as if she has already had her baby.

Confusion: As recently as last weekend Halsey shared snaps of her baby bump on social media

It’s likely, however, that fans are reading too much between the lines as Halsey posted a photo of her very pregnant belly over the weekend.

The singer, whose real name is Ashley Frangipane, joked about the size of her baby bump: ‘Yes it’s ONE baby lol.’ 

She was basking in the sun while relaxing on a couch in an elegantly appointed patio and wrote: ‘too hot outside. beeeeen ready.’ 

Halsey, whose dating history includes Evan Peters and G-Eazy, is expecting her little bundle of joy with her beau Alev Aydin. 

Rainbow baby: Halsey is expecting her little bundle of joy with her beau Alev Aydin, she previously suffered a miscarriage and has been open about the journey to her fans

The New Jersey native went public with her pregnancy on Instagram in January and Alev wrote in the comments: ‘Heart so full, I love you, sweetness.’

In the Instagram announcement Halsey, who had a miscarriage about half a decade ago, was wearing a rainbow bra and she included a rainbow emoji in the caption.

She was presumably giving a nod to the fact she is expecting a ‘rainbow baby’ – a child brought safely to term after the mother previously suffered a baby loss.

Halsey only recently announced that she would be coming out with a new album which was produced by Emmy, Grammy and Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. 

The collaboration between Halsey, Reznor and Ross marks new territory for all involved, with Reznor and Ross typically producing rock albums. 

More to come: Halsey’s fourth album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, which debuts August 27