“Happier Than Ever” Billie Eilish Review

Billie Eilish released her sophomore album, “Happier Than Ever,” on July 30, 2021. It consists of sixteen tracks, five of which were released pre-album as singles. 

The track, “Not My Responsibility,” is a spoken-word piece about the opinions and value placed on her body. Eilish first performed this piece on her “Where Do We Go?” tour before it was cancelled in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The themes in this track are seen throughout the whole album as Eilish confronts the truths of the world, especially those relating to her place in society as a woman. The album is definitely a shift from her previous work.

“I think that this album is a very mature version of Billie and her finding herself,” said Taylor Loy, 12. “I think that she has a new view of the guys she talks about and growing from those.”

In fact, in the first track, “Getting Older,” it is clear how Billie Eilish has changed in terms of what she values and how she views the world. This is seen in a line of the chorus, “Things I once enjoyed/ Just keep me employed now.” It seems like she has discovered that fame is not all that it looks like in the pictures. Overall, the feelings that she expresses in this album seem more mature.

Yet, Eilish is still barely an adult. Rising to fame with her first official single in 2016 at the age of 14, releasing her first album at the age of 17, now she is only 19 as she releases her second album. Besides the fact that she is extremely talented for her age, being in the public eye takes a toll on a person from never being able to go out unrecognized to the threats to her safety.

In an interview with the LA Times she shared, “I hated going outside. I hated going to events. I hated being recognized. I hated the internet having a bunch of eyes on me. I just wanted to do teenager [expletive].” 

 Somehow, she still finds a way to live her life in a semi-normal way and still is able to connect to fans her age. One way she does that is by connecting with her fans through social media.

“She is an inspiration to a lot of young women since she’s making music and developing at the same rate we are,” said Loy.

Indeed, this album is inspirational. The vocals range throughout it from gospel in “Goldwing” to the more pop and upbeat vocals in “NDA.” Several times throughout the album, she has a sudden shift in mood during the song like holding the note during the chorus in “NDA” and the beat drop in “Happier Than Ever.”

The production uses many obscure sounds that somehow blend into the tone of the songs, such as a clip of Billie Eilish’s dogs growling in the beginning of “I Didn’t Change My Number.” This unique production has been seen by her before in “Strange Addiction” from her debut album where she uses a clip from the American sitcom, “The Office.”

Eilish is able to gracefully touch sensitive subjects such as abuse and the patriarchy from a position that shows her growth, while implementing impressive production. This album is truly something to behold for those who appreciate the alternative genre.