Billie Eilish’s songs fall into two opposing camps. There are the gothic, rhythmic numbers through which the singer whispers on tiptoe as if trying to hide from someone. The scenario evokes a nightmare, although the results are far too catchy and enjoyable to be nightmarish. Then there are the soft numbers that look like lullabies: a soothing aid to bring sleep that could in turn bring bad dreams.
The Californian achieved a perfect blend of these opposing styles on her debut album When we all fall asleep, where do we go?, released in 2019 when she was just 17 years old. One of the most successful releases of the year, it catapulted Eilish to the pinnacle of world pop. His second album, happier than ever, released last year, a solid sequel to its stellar predecessor. This time, the bad dream aspects revolve around relationship issues, fame, and the abuse of young women in the public eye. The subjects elicit sympathy, but they’re more generic than the intriguing sentiments conjured up in its early debut.
Her stardom was exemplified at London’s O2 Arena by the rows of mobile phones raised overhead to record her entrance on stage. It was worth saving. Flashing lights and total darkness created a mood of disorientation amid eerie electronic rumble. For a split second amid the strobe lights, a figure was spotted on stage, an eerie sight. Then Eilish bounced from below onto a catwalk as if propelled by a hidden trampoline.
It was the first of six sold-out appearances at the 21,000-seat venue. Later this month, the 20-year-old will headline Glastonbury Festival, the youngest solo act to ever do so. If the songs on happier than ever suggest she feels overwhelmed by all the attention, and then her O2 Arena show found her adjusting to it. It was highly stylized, but also grounded in the most intoxicating emotion of pop entertainment, a sense of personal connection between fans and their idol. The notion of a safe space was crucial in the staging, a place where threats are known to be kept at bay.
Led by “Bury a Friend”, the opening songs were taken from the menacing side of his songwriting. Red lighting predominated, synchronized with perfectly timed beats. Visuals of a horror movie Sandman figure were projected on the background screens. Dressed in a black-and-white outfit, Eilish sang stinging lyrics about disavowal (“I don’t…” is a favorite bet) with a contradictory degree of energy and presence. Her restrained voice was embroidered with pre-recorded choruses. The spell was only broken when she broke into a dry cough during the intro of “Getting Older”.
She was accompanied by Andrew Marshall on drums and her multi-instrumentalist brother Finneas O’Connell, who co-wrote and produced her songs. She and her brother sat next to each other on stools playing acoustic guitar for “Your Power,” one of the sweetest wing tracks in her catalog. It was a softly sung, cutesy plea for people not to abuse their power, especially over “young girls,” as Eilish later explained. A new song, “TV,” makes topical references to the U.S. Supreme Court’s threats to Roe vs. Wade and the court battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. It was only the third time it was performed live, but it still inspired a single.
Images of snakes, spiders, and sharks played on the backing screens during the songs. While these predators circled, Eilish gave her own tour of the arena, at one point serenading the back of the venue from an elevator pod. Volleys of screams and phone screens followed her. Speeches between songs preached a Californian mantra of self-esteem and centering. With its sharp contrasts between light and dark, the staging added substance to these expressions of positive thinking, a sense of the negative forces that necessitate them.
★★★★☆
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