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Billie Eilish: Blip or Harbinger?


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Several months ago my kid said that the next big thing would be "weirdness."

 

I finally saw a Billie Eilish video. It was so weird I had to watch another one. And another one, each one more weird than the last.

 

It seems entirely plausible that the only way left to beat the pop culture signal-to-noise ratio is by being weird. The next pop trend might be total weirdness - think of how many people rubberneck when there's a car accident. Harnessing that impulse may be the secret of pop music success in the future.

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I like that she's her own thing, with (this may sound weird) a throwback to torch singers. Takes a little getting used to for sure, and some of her videos are pretty disturbing. It's hard to project what kind of trajectory her career will have. Wouldn't surprise me if in a couple years she took the bucks, and then said screw it...like how Brigitte Bardot just said "screw it" in 1973, became an animal rights activist, and funded a foundation for same by auctioning off her jewelry and possessions.
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She may last a little longer as well, her fan base is INCREDIBLY devoted - I know a few of them and she is revered. That said, the half-life of 'successful' artists grows shorter by the month so who knows...
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She may last a little longer as well, her fan base is INCREDIBLY devoted - I know a few of them and she is revered.

 

Why do you think that is?

 

My take is that for an artist to blow up this fast, it's more than the music. It's kind of a disturbing world on many levels, but I think that in general, the parents of that demographic don't admit it. So maybe her fans can identify with someone who is being pulled down, and chronicling it, while presenting it as life-as-we-know-it. She's speaking for a lot of people. I think part of me might be included :)

 

That said, the half-life of 'successful' artists grows shorter by the month so who knows...

 

Ain't that the truth. Remember Taylor Swift? Katy Perry? I don't think they're selling out stadiums any more, but I could be wrong.

 

I don't think it's so much the fault of the artists as a society that isn't interested in following people over the arc of a career. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have as many YouTube subscribers as I do, given that I first started playing concerts 58 years ago.

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I don't think Ellish's videos are any weirder than what I have seen from Animal Collective or Fever Ray.

 

I've been to two Animal Collective shows and both concerts were packed with a mostly 20-something year old crowd. Particularly weird is as the band ages, the audience doesn't seem to age with them - more kids just join the ranks.

 

Fever Ray is best known for the Vikings TV show opening theme.

 

Both acts have been around for years before Billie Ellish

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I don't think Ellish's videos are any weirder than what I have seen from Animal Collective or Fever Ray.

 

I've been to two Animal Collective shows and both concerts were packed with a mostly 20-something year old crowd. Particularly weird is as the band ages, the audience doesn't seem to age with them - more kids just join the ranks.

 

Fever Ray is best known for the Vikings TV show opening theme.

 

Both acts have been around for years before Billie Ellish

 

Good point. I hadn't heard of Fever Ray (what can I say? I spend more time making music than listening to it), so thanks for turning me on to that. I guess my kid was right, weirdness is a trend.

 

I also wouldn't really consider Fever Ray EDM, even though it's electronic. It seems more like hip-hop influenced electronics, but is definitely unique. I even think some of it is actually quite beautiful, and I like that the material is highly varied from one cut to the next.

 

However, I couldn't help but laugh when the ad YouTube placed over the video was for a Fender Telecaster :) I think they may need to do better demographic research.

 

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My then-roommate (now bandmate) turned me on to Fever Ray, and pointed out who sang the Vikings TV theme ("If I had a heart"). She also told me about Fever Ray's eccentric, to say the least, award acceptance speech. BTW, I had no idea Carrie Brownstein was contributing to NPR. Then again, I thought she was just a comedian on "Portlandia" - no idea of her place in rock history either:

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/monitormix/2010/01/fever_rays_amazing_acceptance.html

 

Youtube's algorithms for ads and recommendations are interesting. Apparently, it was a recommendation algorithm that turned "Plastic Love", an 80's "city pop" Japanese single, into a worldwide hit last year. When I first saw it on my Youtube feed, I thought it was because one of my J-pop loving friends did something. The singer, Mariya Takeuchi had never thought of marketing her music outside of Japan.

 

For those who haven't already heard that tune, here it is.

 

[video:youtube]

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I had heard about Eilish, but never really "heard" her work. When first watching some of these videos, I was hit with the "weird" aspect you brought up, and wasn't really thrilled with them. But I decided to listen without watching, and it took on a different light. Sure, some of it wasn't what I dig, and would be considered "weird" and not even great performance; but some of it wasn't bad. I wanted to dislike it, but really can't.

 

Wasn't Bjork hailed as both weird AND a genius? I get a sense of that, with some Tori Amos elements, too. She CAN sing, but not in a strong way. When quieter, she can carry a tune quite well.

 

A lot of the subject matter is dark, but then again so is Porcupine Tree, whom I like. I listen to a lot of progressive rock, and well, you have to push the envelope some to be progressing, right? King Crimson is weird at times, too.

 

That said, will she be a long-standing hit? I hate to say "no", but in this climate, that is most likely. I'd like to see her develop and see if she has both the writing and performing strength to be more than a flash in the pan.

"Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion)

NEW band Old band

 

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I'd like to see her develop and see if she has both the writing and performing strength to be more than a flash in the pan.

 

The culture moves too fast for that to happen, unless she can re-invent herself a) effectively, b) honestly, and c) in a way the public wants. That's not easy, although in different times, both Madonna and Bowie were able to do it.

 

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It's really the one artist my teen girls listen to that I can enjoy (they are both heavy into hip hop normally). And I like her as a person, at least what I know of her through interviews and writing.

 

On a slightly related note, that reimagining of "Head Like a Hole" by Miley Cyrus for the Black Mirror series (which is so incredibly meta that it boggles the mind) got my kids to listen to NIN. So there was a serious positive outcome in that.

"For instance" is not proof.

 

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  • 6 months later...
Awards mean nothing, but she seems to have settled into a non-flash-in-the-pan status.

 

Absolutely - I saw her at the Forum in LA while NAMM was still going on (she was part of a bill with Coldplay, Blink 182 etc) and she has one hell of a following. Her performance was disciplined if not mind-blowing.

 

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I missed this thread first time round. But I went out and streamed a half-dozen songs (Billie Eilish I'm referring to) and thought they were pretty good. Not game changers, but I like the simple production, the focused nature of the songs - gets your attention right off and doesn't overplay anything.

 

So I went to the videos since they were mentioned in the thread - well, those are weirder. But I've always considered videos to be a way to sell something else - not the musical product itself. I mean this 18-yr old is not producing her own videos, right? And consider this - been to Redbox lately? Seen how many horror movies, mostly really bad horror movies, are stocked? It's not my demographic watching them - it's kids.

 

And besides, since Lady Gaga, you gotta do something pretty outrageous to get attention for a video, right?

 

She's ok by me. I really like the "bad guy" song.

 

nat

 

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You can never go wrong by appealing to the disaffected teen market. There's a lot of that to go around at the moment in particular & she's blending it with some larger zeitgeist-y angst as well, so she could be a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee within a decade. My opinion has short legs, as I now make noises when I get up. I watched part of the Grammys out of car-wreck fascination and didn't know who the F anyone was. BOOOO! Where's King Crimson doing an updated version of "Sleepless?" :mad::laugh:

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

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She sings well and is succeeding in a difficult world, my hat is off to her.

I don't find her particularly weird. For me the weak point is melody, she can sing anything but her melodies are not very creative or interesting to me.

 

Of course, it doesn't matter at all what I think. Success is success, I wish her well.

 

Weirdness is Pop/Rock music/culture has a LONG tradition.

 

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Elivira (I did say culture!)

Ronnie James Dio

Alice Cooper

Souixie and the Banshees

Concrete Blonde

The Divinyls

Marilyn Manson

Bloodrock

Death

Root Boy Slim and The Sex Change Band

 

It's not really too much of a stretch to toss Little Richard in there, he was pretty weird for his time - despite record company efforts to "sanitize" him.

The Rolling Stones? They have their moments.

 

I am probably missing some...

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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There's some great examples in there Kuru - for those unaware of The Divinyls, definitely check out some of their work on YouTube. Although 'the greatest' statements are inane and pointless, I'm going to make one anyway: Chrissy Amphlett of The Divinyls is the greatest Australian front-woman of all time. She sadly died a few years back but was incredible.
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There's some great examples in there Kuru - for those unaware of The Divinyls, definitely check out some of their work on YouTube. Although 'the greatest' statements are inane and pointless, I'm going to make one anyway: Chrissy Amphlett of The Divinyls is the greatest Australian front-woman of all time. She sadly died a few years back but was incredible.

 

 

Thanks David, I saw the Divinyls open for Aerosmith, back when Aerosmith was having some serious issues with sobriety.

Divinyls blew them off the planet, they were awesome. Chrissy was a GREAT front and also a fantastic singer.

She remains one of my favorite rock singers, ever.

 

FWIW, we used to play All The Boys In Town and Only Lonely.

 

Here's a good starting video.

 

And here is some early Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I had thought only a dozen of my dubious friends and I had ever heard of Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band. "Boogie 'Til You Puke" is a grand anthem, but the real prize is "World War III." "World was in a turmoil, where was Jesus now? He was down in Mississippi behind a mule and a plow. Lookin' for a place to plug in my TV when I finally realized it was World War Three." Wonderful trashy party band like the Ramones, but with a slightly higher IQ. :laugh:

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

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I had thought only a dozen of my dubious friends and I had ever heard of Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band. "Boogie 'Til You Puke" is a grand anthem, but the real prize is "World War III." "World was in a turmoil, where was Jesus now? He was down in Mississippi behind a mule and a plow. Lookin' for a place to plug in my TV when I finally realized it was World War Three." Wonderful trashy party band like the Ramones, but with a slightly higher IQ. :laugh:

 

I was in a band in Fresno with a friend who came from Baltimore. He brought Root Boy albums with him!! We all thought he was awesome and I still do. WWIII is a favorite but there are so many.

They were a great band too, the lead guitarist was also the arranger and got a write up in Guitar Player magazine as somebody who was sort of flying under the radar but worth noting.

 

OK, some Root Boy Slim and The Sex Change Band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR_HKsJl4i0

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I'm unsure there are, or will be, any "Harbingers" again. Perhaps I'm too old now to recognize any if there are. Growing up in the 60's, I was witness to so many changes. The tech changes were boggling...But the first major change after the tumult of the 60's and early 70's to my ears was Punk,

Which was essentially a rejection of the 60's and a return to the rebellion of the 50's, sans the matching sport coats, harmonies...And the volume up as loud as they could get it. Then Rap, which was essentially street poets with beats you could dance to, lyrics that made you think again. Grunge was an uprising, and a harken back to the edgier side of the 60's and 70's.

 

Disco wasn't a movement. Disco has always been really. Stuff for people to dance to and not think about, or even discuss. EDM has taken it's place, Machine music to make you move. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Music is not the huge business it used to be. If Miss Ellish expects to have a shelf life, she's going to have to evolve. She does have a weird talent, her lyrics are interesting, her hiding her charms in ill fitting clothes is an interesting approach to de-sexualizing herself.

 

Bu the roadside is littered with 18 year old wunderkinds.....Bound only to be footnotes in musical history.

 

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I had thought only a dozen of my dubious friends and I had ever heard of Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band.

 

A local boy made good! Great songs, great band, great performer, and his recordings didn't have to be assembled measure by measure with vocals going through a chain of eight processors to "sound right." No tricks, they just did it. More bands should be doing that - but first they have to be that good before the mics get set upl

 

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I was at a Snail Mail show at University of Maryland and it confirmed how out of touch I am with what people half my age or younger are into. Never heard their music before that night - buddy got me in for free - but as I looked around and saw all the 17-21 year olds singing along with the lead singer, I was struck by how I knew so little about a band so popular with these kids.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Snail Mail's songs and think bandleader Lindsey Jordan is an up and coming young talent.

 

I doubt those 17-21 year olds listen to broadcast radio like we old fogies did when we were kids, and we only had 3-4 channels to watch on TV. So many different podcasts and Youtube channels to monitor to try to figure out who the next truly iconic pop star will be. I think it's impossible really. In order for a pop icon to be created, that artist's image and product has to be distributed to the widest possible audience. Those 17-21 year olds might not be watching ABC/CBS/NBC like we did, or listening to the handful of broadcast radio stations - probably all controlled by ClearChannel or something.

 

My 5-yr-old nephew recently visited me and I learned his favorite pop artist is "Marshmello". Some guy in a white costume with cutesy white "Marshmello" helmet. Never heard of him until the nephew arrived.

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I didn't see that anyone posted the Wikipedia article about her. As I recall from a quick read....her mom is a screenwriter in L.A. Dad's an actor. Billie and her brother were home schooled and taught about songwriting early on. And I watched a video of her breaking down a song with her brother. Looks like she will do some great creative things to me.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Eilish

 

 

[video:youtube]

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[quote=Anderton

 

[video:youtube]

 

Listening again, I really like this song.

 

Big fan of simplicity, this has that in spades - one guitar, lead and harmony vocals. You have to get everything right, they did.

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Finneas is her brother and songwriting partner. I'm usually fussy about famous young musicians - so often they only seem to know how to repeat 4 chords over and over. But I think Finneas and Ellie have creative heft. And they know how to make interesting music. I'm an old fart now. A big fan of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Beatles, Keith Jarrett, Stevie Wonder and some other luminaries. I'd felt like current mass commercial music was hopeless. But with Jacob Collier, Corey Henry and the Funk Apostles and now Ellie and Finneas I am encouraged.

 

Below is a live in Paste Studios video of Finneas singing and playing guitar and piano.

The embed video function didn't seem to be working.

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