Happier than Ever: Billie’s Truth

CHETHA NAWANA

19. 162. 7. 15. 88.

These numbers can summarise the complexity that is global music phenomenon Billie Eilish into five simple facts. She is 19 years old. She has been nominated for 162 awards. She won 7 Grammy Awards. Her music has been streamed over 15.5 billion times. And she has 88.3 million followers on Instagram. However, as we know from experience, with fame and wealth comes hardship that is unbearable for many celebrities; let alone a 19-year-old who, like everyone else, must deal with issues surrounding body image, high expectations and heartbreak.

Described by Forbes magazine as having a “fuck you attitude”, Eilish doesn’t alter her personality to fit the image of a ‘perfect teen pop singer’. She speaks her truth and that’s what makes people uncomfortable. The fact that they cannot stop her from exposing society’s flaws, specifically in the entertainment industry. She does “what [she] wants, when [she’s] wanting to” and that’s what makes her worth watching.

Eilish has discarded her black hair, neon green roots and baggy Gucci clothing for 1940s Hollywood inspired blonde curls and custom corsets. Her Happier Than Ever era farewells the themes of night terrors, self-harm and unrequited love present in WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? Instead, Happier Than Ever explores stardom and heartbreak.

Eilish’s realisation that worldwide acclaim is not all that it seems has been a topic of rumination for many young stars before her. Take a 22-year-old Taylor Swift singing ‘The Lucky One’. With a bright and upbeat intro, she sings:

“New to town with a made up name in the Angel City / Chasing fortune and fame / And the camera flashes, make it look like a dream.”

As the song proceeds, listeners become aware that these so-called ‘lucky ones’ are trapped in a world fuelled by the opinions of others. The same message is reflected in ‘Getting Older’, the vulnerable introductory track of Eilish’s album. As Eilish’s whisper-like voice sings over a steady synth beat, her quiet tone is juxtaposed against haunting lyrics describing her new life in the spotlight.

“Things I once enjoyed / Just keep me employed now”

Happier Than Ever speaks to Eilish’s fearlessness. While others may sugar-coat the truth about exploitation in the music industry, Eilish tackles it head on. In ‘Your Power’, she describes the story of a young girl being manipulated by an older man.

“She was sleepin’ in your clothes / But now she’s got to get to class”

“Will you only feel bad when they find out?”

“I thought that I was special / You made me feel like it was my fault, you were the devil”

It’s in lyrics as poignant as these that Eilish’s following, predominantly young women, relate to with heavy hearts.

When commenting on ‘Your Power’, Eilish frustratingly notes that she doesn’t “know one woman who hasn’t been taken advantage of”. The fact that this sort of behaviour has become “way too normalised” deepens her irritation. However, these feelings of anger towards an industry which capitalises on the success of young people has allowed the world to reflect on the truth behind the lyrics of Eilish’s sophomore album.

A fan favourite from Happier Than Ever is the spoken interlude, ‘Not My Responsibility’. First appearing in March 2020 as a short film interval during her Where Do We Go? World Tour, ‘Not My Responsibility’ now has over 34 million views on YouTube. The short film, made by and starring Eilish, is captivating. It’s supposed to seduce her audience, whilst simultaneously keeping them out. It’s Eilish’s way of reclaiming her body and flaunting “there is a body underneath these clothes and you don’t get to see it. Isn’t that a shame?” It’s personally distressing to know that it is the professional duty of adult men to follow a teenage girl around as she is on her way to her brother’s house in a tank top. The body shaming which followed prompted the release of ‘Not My Responsibility’.

“Nothing I do goes unseen / So while I feel your stares, your disapproval or your sigh of relief / If I lived by them, I’d never be able to move” “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman / If I shed the layers, I’m a slut”

“We make assumptions about people based on their size”

“We decide what they’re worth”

Hence, Eilish’s Happier Than Ever era proudly challenges the objectification of women in the music industry. The controversy surrounding Eilish’s switch from baggy clothing to corsets is absurd. She hid her body because she didn’t want to be sexualised. She was 17 when her first album debuted. She proved to the world that you don’t need to wear a mini skirt if you don’t want to. She won seven Grammy Awards and was still criticised.

The nit-picky criticism continues. Why? Is it because she autonomously decided that as a 19-year-old she did want to wear lingerie on the cover of British Vogue? So be it. Eilish should not be criticised for posing in haute couture catsuits. Instead, we should reflect on the perverted and patriarchal standards which defined her clothing as political and of public interest.

So, a round of applause to the global sensation that is Billie Eilish. The sentiment that there is ‘no winning for women’ in the music industry is far from disappearing. However, Eilish’s album’s exposure of double standards is refreshing. A change in clothing cannot and should not take away from the fact that Eilish is an exceptional artist. We waste too much energy concerned about people’s perceptions of us. So, in the words of one of our generation’s greatest role models, “fuck it - if you feel like you look good, you look good” (Billie Eilish, 2020).