WEB EXCLUSIVE

Billie Eilish released Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter To Los Angeles on September 3rd, for her second studio album, Happier Than Ever. Her career dated back to 2015, with the release of Ocean Eyes and since then she has skyrocketed in fame. With Eilish’s prominent status in the music industry, it’s quite shocking how the movie release wasn’t mentioned more than it did. 

Many diehard fans or even casual listeners both agreed that this album is different from her older works. Her older artworks were more experimental with electro pop and indie pop mixed together while Happier Than Ever shows how much more versatile of an artist she is by being alternative and what many would call mainstream. 

The concert film consisted of sixteen songs, an animated version of herself, FINNEAS, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. The film’s title comes from her growing up and feeling connected to her hometown of Los Angeles. The use of her animated self was to show her exploring L.A and slowly showing how she is among the big names of Hollywood by showing herself on billboards. Eilish’s choice of location also gives homage to her hometown in the Hollywood Bowl.

The movie follows the chronological order of the album, including the more known songs from her album, Therefore I Am and Happier Than Ever. As the concert progresses, the songs rely on an image of what appears to be about fame and all that comes with the famedom. With subtle lighting differences, the songs were able to feel more distressing or were able to feel more sexual. Changes in the stage’s lighting suggested a different mood for each song such as the blue lighting during My Future changed to a bright red for Oxytocin.

At the beginning of the concert, throughout the opening songs started with heartbreak, distrust, and overall sadness were hinted at. Further in the album (the concert), the more confident and happier version of Billie was showcased. Though it was just a concert movie, the layout of the songs and a small monologue song hint at the overarching story of the album. 

Throughout the whole album, Eilish shows her appreciation for being where she is but also comments on how fed up she is with her fans at times. Not My Responsibility is her response to the comments she gets on her body and clothes and more or less say- it’s not her issue. While songs like NDA, show the hard life of a popstar who wants to live her life in secret. The song also references how she’s been slowly learning and growing through those experiences. 

  Concert films barely catch people’s attention unless they had their attention on the artist. Though, with Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter To Los Angeles is unlike other concert films. It’s able to catch even the unlikeliest of fans. Eilish was able to make a simple concert movie and was able to paint a story with only her voice that was enough to captivate any viewer.