Billie Eilish has made headlines for her “anti-pop” hit singles and album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” Her haunting voice, distinct fashion sense and open personality captivated audiences and catapulted her into stardom which only escalated with the release of her debut album in March of this year.
Since the release of her album, Eilish has performed at music festivals, on talk shows and is currently out on tour. Her influence goes beyond her performances and includes interviews with various media outlets, appearances on podcasts, YouTube interviews and sponsored social media ads. Eilish’s transparency about topics regarding mental health, social pressures and the effects of the media earned her a large fanbase, notoriously consisting of mainly teenage girls and respect from other artists and influencers including Elton John (“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”), Lana Del Ray (“Born to Die”) and perhaps most famously, her childhood idol, Justin Bieber (“Purpose”). With all of her exposure, Eilish has continued to captivate her audiences long after the release of her album.
Most recently, the release of her newest music video, which follows her song “all the good girls go to hell,” appeared on the YouTube trending page and earned 13 million views in just 24 hours. Sitting now with 42 million views and counting, the horror-like video has the media talking yet again.
While it has been revealed that the song is a commentary of the rising climate change crisis, the depiction of a demonic creature rising out of flames lends itself to other interpretations. The video shows Eilish being drugged, becoming a demon and walking through what appears to be hell on earth. Staying within the same storyline various other videos Eilish produced, this video uses some pretty basic footage yet holds a great deal of symbolism. As the demonic figure of Eilish walks through the dystopian scene, the wings on her back catch fire seemingly fueling her along, while the rest of the background slowly deteriorates. If a viewer had the background knowledge that the song was about climate change then they would have an off chance of seeing that being symbolized, without that knowledge, some serious questions about the song and Eilish’s message arise.
For as much praise as Eilish gets for her work, there is just as much criticism. Most stemming from the perceived romanticism of the devil and other demonic symbols. Taking into account the title of the song as well as lyrics such as “my Lucifer is lonely” and “Peter’s on vacation, an open invitation” draw connections between sinning and being a “good girl.” With the fanbase that she has, it is not a surprise that there is backlash against the song and video. As the song goes on and the scenes become more hellish, Eilish’s character seems to gain strength, furthering the idea that “it’s ok to be bad,” something a majority of society would disagree with.
The video does not offer a lot in terms of cinematography, especially when compared to its predecessors. Despite this, Eilish is still able to deliver a compelling performance, one with hidden depth and meaning, something that should not be overlooked.
Image from Billie Eilish via Youtube
