New Music Recs: “Your Power” by Billie Eilish

I would be remiss as a music blogger if I didn’t comment on “Your Power,” the new single by pop singer Billie Eilish. It’s an enormous departure for the 19-year-old. Her debut studio album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, was dark and introspective: even the cover is extremely creepy.

So far, her new album, the forthcoming Happier Than Ever, is much brighter – literally. The album cover is soft gold and Eilish has traded her green-and-black hair for blonde. It even has an old Hollywood feel, what with Eilish’s vacant expression and the font choice. “Your Power,” the album’s third single, exemplifies the new direction she’s headed in. The song is backed by meandering acoustic guitar, rather than the tight electronic beats of her previous album. Elilish’s voice sounds much more mature, which is fitting for the song’s content. She describes how the nameless subject abuses their power, specifically when it comes to mistreating young women. It’s incredibly haunting. “Your Power” features the lyrics “how dare you/and how could you.” They hit all the more deeply because Eilish isn’t yelling. She’s speaking directly to the song’s subject, but she could also be speaking to us. How do people in positions of control behave – how should they behave – and do we hold them accountable when they take advantage?

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