It’s been quite a few months without the eerie and soft voice of Billie Eilish to reassure us during these difficult times, but now she’s back with her latest single ‘My Future’. The song, dropped last night, is the first hint at a possible upcoming studio album since her past releases ‘Everything I Wanted’ and the Bond movie theme song ‘No Time To Die’.
In ‘My Future’, Billie opens up about her relationships, deciding to walk away from them to put herself – and her future – first. Through her voice, she guides us through an introspective voyage, inviting us to fully commit to self-discovery.
Over a soothing and gentle rhythm, Billie quietly murmurs her love for this abstract presence – being the future itself – and sings about spending time alone to ‘get to know myself’. In the background, the sound of rain accompanies her voice as she sings, ‘Cause I, I’m in love, With my future, Can’t wait to meet her, And I, I’m in love, But not with anybody else, Just wanna get to know myself.’
Unlike the first half of the song, the second part starts off with a faster synth beat produced by her brother Finneas, where Billie’s sophisticated vocals blend together to create a smoother sound. Here, she sings: ‘I know supposedly I’m lonely now, Know I’m supposed to be unhappy, Without someone, But aren’t I someone?.’ The track ends just like it started: with a soft and calm tone, Billie utters ‘I’ll see you in a couple years’, moving away from her past relationships. In the equally meaningful animated music video, directed by Australian animator Andrew Onorato, Billie walks under the rain through a forest enlightened by the moonlight. After the beat breaks down, the skies clear and the forest brightens up with colours and blooming greenery, symbolising her hopeful future.
Billie Eilish, My Future. Video via Billie Eilish Youtube Channel
Billie shared with her fans an email where she revealed how she and Finneas came up with the track: “We wrote this at the very beginning of quarantine. It’s a song that’s really, really personal and special to me. When we wrote this song, it was exactly where my head was at — hopeful, excited, and a crazy amount of self-reflection and self-growth. But recently it has also taken on a lot of new meaning in the context of what’s happening in the world now. I hope you can all find meaning in it for yourselves.”
In a later released podcast, Billie expressed her curiosity for the future and spread a message of hope to everyone affected by the pandemic: “We should have hope because there’s stuff to look forward to in the future.’ ‘I love the idea of not knowing what’s in my future and I love the idea that I’m going to meet someone, I’m gonna do something that’s gonna change my life,” she said.
‘My Future’ offers encouragement for those who are living this time in solitude or away from family members to focus on themselves and grow stronger. The song is now available on every streaming platform (Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube…). Go have a listen and dream about your promising future. Words by Gennaro Costanzo
Graphics by Clare Stephenson
