Billie Eilish’s Music Career
A deep dive into the pop star’s journey.
In a way, growing up with Billie’s music felt like having a friend who just got me, even when no one else really did.
The first time I heard “bellyache,” my friend was blasting the song from her phone, bopping her head. Curious, I asked her about the song and she turned to me, shocked. She was so surprised that I didn’t recognize one of the most iconic pop music artist’s songs. Insecure, little old me waddled home to listen to more of her songs to fit in, turns out Billie EIlish had become one of my all time favorites to this day! Relating to her emotional struggles about her mental health and life issues, I listened to her the whole day; the beautiful lyrics mixed with the electronic beats created a masterpiece. From that day, Eilish had released 5 more albums, each more empathetic than the last.
don’t smile at me (2017)
Billie Eilish's debut album, produced when she was only around 15 years old, which is surprising considering that her songs contain dark lyrics and whispery vocal style, making the songs addicting to listen to. Several of her songs include raw content that relate to a vast population of our generation today!
For example, “idontwannabeyouanymore” represents adolescent insecurity, as well as confusion over one’s image. She highlights the impossible standards that society places on people such as unrealistic body expectations. Unfortunately, due to social mediaI feel like this song could relate to a lot of people, especially teenagers in this generation.
Another song that really resonated with me was “Ocean Eyes”, not just about the lyrics but the melody really reached out, making me feel emotional and vulnerable. When her brother originally wrote the song, it was mainly for this band (The Slightlys) but he decided that it would suit her vocals better. After the song was released, her singing career started when her dancing career at Revolution Dance Center came to an end and she decided to record more songs.
WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? (2019)
The pop star’s next album again fell into a darker theme, reflecting her own personal experiences with lucid dreaming and night terrors. The songs included issues many teenagers experience such as mental health problems, drug addiction, etc. Once Eilish’s “bad guy” was released, it became a worldwide sensation, able to be heard anywhere in the world, whether it be on the radio or throughout the mall! A song that I really like was "Danny" from the album due to the beats and unique lyrics, but it also is one that Billie Eilish is especially close to. Shortly before recording the song, one of her friends passed away due to drug overdose. A second one that really intrigued me was “wish you were gay,” which had a different tone than the others. It had a considerably different, more melancholy note to it, making me feel like I was floating. Recorded in the song, Eilish had been rejected by someone and she had hoped he was gay to give an explanation of this situation. This was a true story and I find it extremely impressive that she wrote the song when she was only 14! Ironically, the male love interest did come out as gay later which gives this story a funny twist.
Happier Than Ever (2021)
Success after success, Eilish decided to release another album, Happier Than Ever, a considerably more upbeat song compared to the two before. Paired with electropop, the songs explored themes such as the downside of fame, toxic relationships and self-reflection. “Happier than ever”, a song that I play on repeat, has such an addictive beat drop. Its lyrics include the singer’s personal story with a previously toxic partner that deeply affected her. We can assume that it’s Eilish’s final goodbye to the relationship and to provide closure.
One more song that really smashes everytime I play it is “NDA”. The unique way that the beat kept pulsing throughout the song really garnered my interest towards the melody. The song was inspired by a few stalkers that threatened her after her newfound success and stardom. The text contains several ironic phrases as well as dark humor (which Eilish used to cope with), calling it out of her comfort zone, but still therapeutic and fun. Overall, the song really shines a light on the pressures and dangers of being a young woman in the industry.
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT (2024)
The (most recent) portion of Billie Eilish’s music career really made a big impact on the streaming services, as it blew up around the world. At one point, I couldn't even step out of the house without hearing any of the songs (I couldn't really even step inside as well since my computer was playing it 24/7). Like the title describes, its songs are mixed with lyrics with powerful emotions (hard) as well as gentle vulnerability (soft). So far in my life, this contained my favorite mix of songs, mostly because of the relatability as well as the compelling rhythm.
A song that I really loved, however, was “THE GREATEST” explaining how the star felt while in a relationship, she received nothing back, only indifference. She had clarified the lyrics, stating that it was due to a previous partner’s emotional neglect. A second song that really made me play the album constantly was “Wildflower”. A fun fact about this song is that it was written by Eilish reflecting her own guilt by dating her friend’s ex post breakup. I honestly really respect her for genuinely apologizing and taking responsibility for her actions when some celebrities nowadays…are a mess.
So in conclusion, after I spent most of my teen years listening to Billie Eilish, I’ve realized that so much of my life relates to her and that she struggles just as much as I do. Her songs with the hauntingly relatable lyric carried me through multiple homework assignments, lengthy flights, as well as periods during school. Throughout all the problems that attacked me, her songs were always there with me and I could count on them to survive whatever crisis I had going on. In a way, growing up with Billie’s music felt like having a friend who just got me, even when no one else really did. As I move forward, I know her songs will always be something I can come back to, reminding me that I’m not going through things alone and that it’s possible to get through the tough stuff.
Links
Genius. “Billie Eilish Albums.” Genius, https://genius.com/artists/Billie-eilish/albums.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – idontwannabeyouanymore Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-idontwannabeyouanymore-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – Ocean Eyes Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-ocean-eyes-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – bad guy Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-bad-guy-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – xanny Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-xanny-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – wish you were gay Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-wish-you-were-gay-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-happier-than-ever-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – NDA Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-nda-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – The Greatest Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-the-greatest-lyrics.
Genius. “Billie Eilish – Wildflower Lyrics.” Genius, https://genius.com/Billie-eilish-wildflower-lyrics.
