Before listening to this album, I never even came close to “getting” Billie Eilish. I’ve heard a lot of the common complaints about her music, and I probably even used them myself as excuses not to give her a shot - she’s just whispering, she’s only big because of social media, etc. I also had to admit the all-caps thing was a little annoying, and then a little funny when I realized that she basically sings in subscript while naming her songs in ALL CAPS.

This album is pure bedroom confessional pop songwriting - literally, in Billie Eilish’s bedroom - and it’s impressively done. Sure, she sings as if she’s afraid her mom will overhear her from the next room, but one, that’s a very universal feeling that’s being captured perfectly, and two, when you pay attention you realize how much control it must take to create that effect so consistently.

I think Billie Eilish’s story outside her music is almost as important to her mega-success as the music itself. She’s relating to Gen Z as few can. She publicly struggles with many of the personal issues that are at the forefront of the cultural conversation for her generation - body image issues, exploring sexuality, searching for acceptance. She represents many of the social views shared by her generation - she’s vegan, concerned about climate change, and supports ethical work practices in her fashion. I don’t even know how one person can handle being a public symbol for all of that, but she does it well.

Would these songs be as impactful without her specific, “Ms. Gen Z” persona? I don’t know. But I say it doesn’t really matter - because could this music even exist without her persona? Could someone with another persona have written these songs? I doubt it. The whole package, her personality and her music, feels extremely authentic and inseparable to me.

The album gets better the longer you listen. You kind of have to fall into a trance to really get into it though - like match your breath to the beat, stare into space for a minute, let your eyes unfocus. Inhale, exhale. Downward dog.

All in all I’m a few steps closer to getting Billie Eilish - I don’t actively dislike her music - but I still can’t get into the all-caps. Millennials are afraid of all caps, it feels like you’re yelling at us. We’re just out here trying to survive, y’all.

Jams

“WILDFLOWER”
“THE GREATEST”
“L’AMOUR DE MA VIE”

From the roundup Jamwise #45 - Special Edition: 2024's Chart-Topping Albums.