Trust Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell to deliver messages in everything: the lyrics, the music video, the styling. In her latest track from her upcoming second studio album, ‘Happier Than Ever’, Eilish sings about people who abuse their power. Ironically, it comes at a time where police brutality and abuse in the entertainment industry has taken centre stage in the media. Of the song, Eilish says:
“this is one of my favorite songs i’ve ever written. i feel very vulnerable putting this one out because i hold it so close to my heart. this is about many different situations that we’ve all either witnessed or experienced. i hope this can inspire change. try not to abuse your power.”
Fans speculate that the song is about Eilish’s relationship with Q, with whom the singer had a volatile relationship when she was 16 (and he was 22).
“You swear you didn’t know (Didn’t know) / You said you thought she was your age.”
From not being “in a great mental place” when she made her Grammy-winning debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? , has Billie Eilish has finally found what she’s always wanted: happiness? After posting a stunning, short clip of herself sitting in a cream, shell-shaped wide backed chair and with a snippet of herself singing:
“When I’m away from you, I’m happier than ever,”
The 19-year-old ‘Ocean Eyes’ crooner announced that the track and visuals are from her upcoming album, Happier Than Ever. The title is juxtaposed by the appearance of tears on her face in the album cover art as well as the tired look she gives the camera in the clip.
View this post on Instagram
Taking to her Instagram account, Eilish shared:
“MY NEW ALBUM “Happier Than Ever” OUT JULY 30TH! this is my favorite thing i’ve ever created and i am so excited and nervous and EAGER for you to hear it. i can’t even tell you. i’ve never felt so much love for a project than i do for this one. hope you feel what i feel. […] AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
According to a press release, staying true to their magic formula, Eilish wrote Happier Than Ever with her brother FINNEAS (who also produced the LP). The album marks a new era for Eilish, who is moving away from her darker image in the early stages of her career. But does this physical change in her image mean a lyrical change in direction too? As seen in her – now iconic – annual interview with Vanity Fair, Eilish has gone through quite a bit of growth in the past four years. In the latest instalment, Eilish can be seen watching as her younger self says,
“You know […] Maintaining my happiness which I’ve been experiencing for like the first time in many years. I want to stay happy. That’s a big goal for me.”
And she reveals how her stance has changed since then, with her unexpected explosion of fame.
I like this life that I have. I like being famous. It’s very weird, but it’s very cool. And I can, I feel like I can say that now because I used to hate it. I hated doing press and I hated being recognized and I hated kind of everything that had to do with it. There’s a lot in fame that’s f****** gross and horrible and just miserable, but I’m very grateful for it and it’s really rare and it’s really, I’m very lucky, so I’m so done with complaining about it.”
https://www.flyfm.com.my/flycelebrity-billie-eilishs-4th-time-doing-that-interview-we-still-arent-sick-of-it/
It was probably Eilish’s way of foreshadowing the direction for her upcoming second album, which she also mentions in the interview. In fact, she even reveals how many songs are on the album and what she feels about them.
“Right now I have 16. We’ve been working and I love them all. I love all of them.”
And what are the 16 songs? On top of the previously released tracks ‘My Future” and ‘Therefore I Am’, the tracklist for Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever album contains:
01 Getting Older
02 I Didn’t Change My Number
03 Billie Bossa Nova
04 my future
05 Oxytocin
06 GOLDWING
07 Lost Cause
08 Halley’s Comet
09 Not My Responsibility
10 OverHeated
11 Everybody Dies
12 Your Power
13 NDA
14 Therefore I Am
15 Happier Than Ever
16 Male Fantasy
Based on the titles of the songs on Eilish’s tracklist, it seems like we’re in for some really heavy stuff.
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever”
Pre-order on @amazonmusic. https://t.co/zcYSh7osZk pic.twitter.com/HYGYs3teYm— billie eilish (@billieeilish) April 27, 2021
Back in February, Billie Eilish told Stephen Colbert:
“I don’t think I would’ve made the same album, or even the album at all, if it weren’t for COVID. That doesn’t mean it’s about COVID at all, it’s just that, when things are different in your life, you’re different. That’s just how it is. So, I have to thank COVID for that, and that’s about it.”
The album is out July 30, with a new song dropping this Friday, May 30.
*Cover image credit: @billieeilish
Post comments (0)