Writers Seminar: Zainab.K and Maira Bilal
Biography:
- Full Name: Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell
- Born In: Los Angeles, California
- Famous As: Singer-Songwriter
- First song she became successful for was Ocean Eyes
- The biggest influencer towards her career was Finneas O’Connell (older brother)
- Known to be one of the youngest music artists to be reaching on the top charts of Billboard
- Due to her skyrocketing, she is presented with a huge fan base and takes a turn towards setting a different taste in her music
- Her brother was a part of a band and Ocean Eyes was the first single to drop through her and with help of her brother as well
- Billie Eilish was known for setting a different taste of music which was eerie and different from most pop songs
- A voice like hers would be made from mainstream pop artists such as Ariana Grande or Selena Gomez but she really does try to differentiate from those artists by setting a “unique background”
- The fan base she created through her music was because of the darkness and realism she brings out that most people can relate to in their lives as well as how to get through it
Advice for Writers:
“If you write in the same way over and over again, like, in the same place with the same techniques and with the same people, you’re sort of writing the same song over and over again.”
“There are alway going to be bad things. But you can write it down and make a song out of it.”
“Words are more powerful than some noises. Noises won’t last long. Lyrics are so important, and people don’t realise that.”
“When I write, I try to become different characters.”
Analysis: Bury a Friend
- The meaning behind the song is the idea of “monster under the bed”, she takes that idea and applies it to her music by somehow getting the emotions of the monster while also saying that she is the monster herself, figuratively speaking, she associates herself as being out of control and unable to control her emotions and thoughts
- The repetition of questions and alliteration is formed through the ongoing “Wh” sounds
- Her style is somewhat contradictory how in lines she says “bury a friend, I wanna end me” the abruptness and transition of words is very quick
- She somehow makes her lyrics paced slow or fast, at first going slow when asking questions but immediately when she goes out of the chorus it’s as if everything is happening at once
Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHC9tYz8ik
Why she is inspirational?
- “Instead of being a sweet blonde with a lovingly tune” Billie Eilish is the first young music artist where we see more of the realism coming through, she really tries to change the idea of pop over being “love” or “happiness”, she makes people understand their problems and spreads the message over it and how difficult it is to go through
- Her voice somehow makes the lyrics sound even better because of how she can deeply connect with it
- When I first came across her song called “you should see me in a crown” it really brought my attention because of how her music was so beautifully yet eerily crafted
- And I feel whether being a writer or song lyricist, there is always that connection of somehow the characters or the person him/herself having to deal with their emotions in some way
My Emulation:
How long do I have these chains rustling and heaving down on my neck
For I wish I could look at your eyes and find escape like I once did
Satan’s call, it’s serpents tongue trying to make an entry to my mind, but I resist
How much longer? I don’t know but the pain I endure is all for you
I’ll bury myself six feet under only for you to find my grave again
These ashes of what we called “memories” wouldn’t be able to desinegerate until we can make it a forgetful past
I’ll shout “I’m free! And I’m alive” even if you found my dead lifeless body hanging on a noose
For this world is nothing but dust and dirt to me unless your willing put it back together again
Each crevice and crack is sealed, but my heart is an open wound waiting to be healed
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PowerPoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/
1OMDYZX2F3HjxXGP3PkIu4jCwMLcC6QCATFKld2Jmlx4/edit#slide=id.g35f391192_00