Billie Eilish is a phenomenon; She is incredibly talented, artistic, creative, bold, personable and inspirational. Why did she choose to put most of those traits and qualities aside in her latest single, Your strength? Eilish is arguably the voice of her generation, she is a global superstar with a huge fan following and has had an incredible impact on music and youth culture. Billie Eilish has recorded more influential music over the past four years than most artists could aspire to reach close to forty. Bad guy, Bury a friend, You should see me in the crown and last year’s song, Therefore I, all of which are game-changing tracks that offer something new and important altogether, pushing the boundaries of music forward on every occasion.
Your strength is a good song, some might say excellent. It includes the soft and gentle side of Billie Eilish and reveals her vulnerability. On the surface it’s a light folk song that, in addition to its contemporary vocal treatment, has a hypnotic quality and a sense of fun that matches some of Billie’s earlier works. However, unlike her previous work, Your strength does not display the formidable talent she has. Your strength It feels like it should be a Phoebe Bridgers song, in fact for starters you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a Phoebe Bridgers song. You can easily gamble Your strength on Bridgers .’s breakthrough debut album Strangers in the Alps without anyone noticing. This is both a tribute to the influence Phoebe Bridgers has made in recent years, but also a signal that Billie Eilish is not without her flaws.
Your strength dropped just days after Billie Eilish announced the news that she would be releasing her second album, Happier than ever, on July 30. She said, “This is my favorite thing I’ve ever created,” adding, “I’m so excited and thrilled and EAGER let you hear it.” Billie’s eager anticipation for her debut album in 2019, WHEN WE ALL SLEEP, WHERE WE GO, is a sixteen track album that also includes two of her previous singles, Therefore I and my future. The new album will once again be produced with help from her brother Finneas. Taking to Instagram to announce the news, she said, “I can’t even tell you. I’ve never felt more in love with a project than I do for this project. Hope you enjoy what it feels like. I feel.”
With 13 brand new tracks to be expected in the coming months, let’s hope that Your strength do not set the tone for the rest of the album. As good as it is, this isn’t Billie Eilish at her astonishing best. By her own very high standards, this is not going to be a song she is remembered for, even though you may think it is. We love you Billie, but you better be an act of tribute to Phoebe Bridgers.
