Songfacts®:

• Halsey explained to Complex how the producers Tim Anderson (Banks) and Lido (Ariana Grande) came up with the sound for this Badlands track. "The idea of Badlands was creating a space with sound, which is a really difficult thing to do," she explained. "I was in a session with Tim Anderson, and he was just playing around with these low, vibe-y sounds, and then I wrote 'Drive' in probably about 10 minutes. So I read the song out loud to him, and he looks at me and mutes the rest of the track and turned up the bass, and it was the sound of a car engine. And I was like, 'This is fate! Let's do this thing!'"
  
  "And so we got into it, and I asked about putting the sound of a door opening or seat belt sound in there," Halsey continued. "We end up starting the song with this signal sound of 'ding, ding, ding.' And then I took the song to Lido who executive produced the whole record, and he turned that 'ding' into an actual beat that followed through the song. That ended up creating this genius moment in the center where the door slam and beat all match up and it puts you outside of that car. I've just been working with incredibly talented people who just get it."
• "Drive" sees Halsey turning a California road trip into more than just a scenic backdrop - it becomes a metaphor for the uncertain terrain of young love. The song captures that awkward, in-between space where two people clearly feel something but can't quite admit it. Pride and hesitation hang over the lyrics, letting the emotion sneak out in quiet moments rather than bold declarations.
• The music video, which Halsey directed herself, was released on September 2, 2025, to mark the 10th anniversary of Badlands. It continues the visual story that Halsey started in 2015 with the video for "New Americana." Actor Tyler Posey makes a return appearance here, reprising his role from the "Colors" clip.