Your Power

Billie Eilish June 2021 British Vogue. Credit Craig McDean

It’s no secret that the music industries have been a male dominated sector for as long as they really began to exist. Despite many of the world’s most successful artists being female, the reality is that more often than not, it is the men in the industries that profit from and exploit these women. For example, female artists are usually hypersexualised, whether this be through their lyrics, fashion, or performances, and while sexuality is by no means a wrong thing, and should be encouraged to an extent of empowerment, it becomes problematic when it is a man steering a woman’s career through the means of her body.

“Sex sells” has become so normalised that nobody really questions why young female artists are given a hypersexualised image, but rather the questions begin when she doesn’t. Billie Eilish’s fashion choices are generally oversized clothes with lots of layers-not the typical sex symbol. Yet at her young age she felt the need to release a short video reclaiming her own body because society and the media state her ‘modesty’ was unusual. In another incident Billie was walking near her home in a vest top and shorts and was photographed. This image then spread like wildfire across social media, sexualising the fact she was dressed for the weather, despite her only just turning eighteen. Now, a year and five Grammy awards later, Billie Eilish has come into her own and said enough is enough with an internet breaking Vogue shoot and interview, three powerful singles and an upcoming album all alongside the release of her self-titled book.

“Happier than ever” Billie Eilish’s second album is set to release on July 30th, all written by Billie and produced by her brother Finneas. The sophomore album features sixteen songs including the three aforementioned singles, “My future”, “Therefore I am”, and the albums namesake, “Your power” which was released April 29th alongside a music video. “Your Power” is a letter to those who abuse their power to take advantage and more specifically, she addresses sexual misconduct towards underage girls. Billie is no stranger to dealing with these topics which is why at the beginning of her career she chose to hide her figure, a valid choice under any circumstances but especially so given she was a minor. Now an adult, more mature and comfortable in the ownership of her body, she still faces backlash and ridiculous claims that she is a hypocrite for going back on her choice of modesty.

This is exactly what Billie speaks out against in her work; any moral criticism of this project only secures the relevancy of her message and why work like this is so needed and successful. With more projects like these, the hard truth behind the music industry, and society in general, can continue to be exposed, to educate and work towards a safe and inclusive community.