Marshmello ft. Halsey – Be Kind

Some of us are kind, two of us don’t like marshmallows, most of us are wondering who actually sang this song…

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[5.00]Juana Giaimo: I was reading the entry on “Happier” and Will (Rivitz)’s blurb made me realize why I find this song quite enjoyable: Marshmello is following the footsteps of The Chainsmokers — fun songs, but a little dark and emotional too. Collaborating with Halsey only confirms it. Her slightly childish voice sounds very intimate here, especially thanks to the smooth keyboards and the soft beat, which remain quiet in the back and let her stand out.
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Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Maybe it’s the times, maybe it’s the opening bars stolen from “Sunflower,” or maybe it’s the bridge which hints at a sonic breakthrough, but this is the most moved I’ve ever felt by a Halsey song. There are still other 10 other pop stars I’d rather hear sing this, though.
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Hannah Jocelyn: In the same week that Ellie Goulding finally sounds like herself in a single, Halsey – normally underrated as a distinctive vocalist – emulates Goulding’s breathiness in these verses. In the chorus she sounds like herself again, but just barely recognizable. I like bratty, dramatic Halsey the most, and there’s little of that here except for the transitions between sections, where it sounds like she’s building to a shout then remembers the kind of song she’s on. Yet I don’t know what kind of song this is supposed to be – the title is “Be Kind,” but the song feels passive aggressive as much as it’s supportive. Calling it “Be Kind” feels like a last-second decision to please the executives that want happy music now more than anything else. Musically, this is just confused. I’m used to hearing synths side-chained to drums in contemporary pop, and while there’s some pumping going on with the synths, the way things fight for space in this mix just makes me wonder if the producers and engineers also went ‘eh, it’s fine, who cares, we’re in a pandemic’ when they heard this.
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Katie Gill: Yep, this sure is a Marshmello song. Even worse, it’s a Marshmello song with absolutely banal lyrics, the sort of thing that feels like a first draft submitted five minutes before the essay’s deadline. Even WORSE, it’s a Marshmello song with the most boring production I’ve heard in a while. It’s not even bad: just boring. There is nothing new or notable here. Halsey does some fun things with her lower range, but it’s a trick we’ve seen before.
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Will Adams: Marshmello’s lead billing here (or the fact that he’s credited at all) is hilarious given how anonymous this electro-chug is. Still, Halsey gives the hook more oomph than it deserves, which elevates this from “completely disposable” to “slight but enjoyable.”
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Alfred Soto: How appropriate Marshmello gets his name above the credits. Mushy, devoid of nutritional value, and overrated as a treat, “Be Kind” does little but provide another vehicle for Halsey’s rue.
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Alex Clifton: Much like an actual marshmallow: sweet while it’s going down, but doesn’t taste much of anything.
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