Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever
An analysis of the artist’s sophomore album
I’m going to be honest from the very beginning, when I listened to this album for the first time, I did not like it. I was actually quite disappointed. Then I heard it a second time, then a third time. Fortunately, this album has quickly grown as me. I’ve seen it rated as low as a 6 on The Line Of Best Fit and as high as a perfect 10 on some music review pages on Instagram. I was conflicted at first because it wasn’t the high flying vocal performance you might expect with the title Happier Than Ever. However, I’ve come to understand and appreciate the genre-bending performance Eilish has provided.
Eilish doesn’t deviate too far from her norm of subtle, low, and dark style of music in this album. You could argue she gets quieter and quieter until the magnum opus in the titular track. However, we must traverse through the depths of Billie’s psyche to understand her final boutade. Happier Than Ever is the emphasis and enlightenment of emotional fortitude, intelligence, and maturity.
Opening with “Getting Older”, Eilish discovers the annoyances and perils of growing older both physically and mentally. The resulting clarity of gaining wisdom, at times, can be revolting as we begin to understand the turmoil that is life. She discovers that what she used to enjoy is now…
