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Billie Eilish showcases incredible artistry with release of debut album

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Image labelled for reuse by @jus10h on Flickr

Alya Mehrtash staff writer
Billie Eilish has shown the world once more why her music will very soon make her a household name. With the release of her debut album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” on March 29, she has yet again showcased her artistic ability and creativity after the success of her 2017 EP “don’t smile at me.” At only 17-years-old, with over a billion streams on Spotify alone, Eilish has proven that age is but a number in the music industry. Her talent and unique artistry have been a key to her connection with fans and her triumph in the music industry.
 
In an interview with Billboard prior to the release of her album, Eilish shared her goals for the project. “I think the main thing that me and my brother have learned is, what is fun to perform. I love jumping around and going crazy, I love moshing [and] just going insane on stage. I want the crowd to go insane. So we just wanted to make the music that’s so fun to be in the moment at a show,” the young artist said.
Many songs on the album, such as “bad guy,” “you should see me in a crown” and “bury a friend” fit perfectly with Eilish’s goal to create a fun concert environment. Despite the more unrestrained, sinister lyrics and the aggressive tempos, the songs are fun musical masterpieces that fans are sure to enjoy during Eilish’s upcoming tour.
But in songs like “listen before i go” and “i love you,” that rough edge falls away and a sensitive side emerges—one that fans were introduced to in some of Eilish’s other music, such as songs like “hostage” and “ocean eyes” from her “don’t smile at me” EP. Her soft voice beautifully compliments the gentle musicality of the songs. Her vocal talent is most effectively displayed in her more gentle, sensitive songs.
Lyrically speaking, the songs on this new project show Eilish’s growth and a new maturity that wasn’t as distinct in “don’t smile at me.” With this new release, she has taken on more serious and socially mature topics. Through her music, she touches on her experiences dealing with suicidal feelings. In “listen before I go,” she sings, “Take me to the rooftop, I wanna see the world when I stop breathing, turning blue…Call my friends and tell them that I love them and I’ll miss them, but I’m not sorry.” Her ability to take listeners, even those who have never experienced such emotions before, into the mind of a suicidal teenager is just one way that Eilish stands out from other artists today.
Her message behind “xanny” was to urge her fans to “be safe.” In the song, she sings about friends who are “nothing but unstable,” constantly smoking and using drugs. “I know people around you doing that s**t makes you want to, but you don’t have to,” she said in a recent interview while explaining the lyrics of “xanny.” In an age when artists are often talking about their constant use of drugs, it’s rare to find one encouraging others to stay away from such substances. Eilish, however, has never been one to conform to stereotypes and has always remained true to her identity as an artist. Both her age and her willingness to be unique has contributed to making her a stand-out artist.
Finneas O’Connell, Eilish’s co-writer, producer and brother, produced every song on “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” with such precision and detail that listeners have to pay attention to notice each feature. In a recent interview with the New York Times, the siblings revealed that they used small sound samples from their everyday lives, such as noises from a staple gun and a dental drill, to enhance the “haunted” sound of “bury a friend” and other songs on the album. Her album is filled with a variety of different styles of music, but the mix of her soft voice and eerie lyrics shows that there truly is beauty in the madness.
“When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” was the perfect piece for Eilish’s debut album. Not only has she gifted listeners with her musical artistry, but just days after the album was released, it has already built up great excitement for her future in the industry.
Highlights gives this album 5/5 stars. “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” is available on Apple Music and Spotify.

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