"Lovely" - Musical Analysis #1

 "Lovely"

Billie Eilish and Khalid

Listen Here

Some Background

    "Lovely" was written by Billie Eilish and Khalid. Billie's brother, Finneas O'Connell produced the song as well as assisted in writing the piece. "Lovely" was initially released in the U.S. on April 19, 2018, as a lead single for the second season of the Netflix series, "13 Reasons Why" (Wikipedia). 

My feelings

    From the beginning, the song exudes a dramatic and emotional tone which is expressed through soft accompaniment, hushed vocals, and pensive lyrics. This song addresses the struggle of overcoming depression and attempting to make the best out of a bad situation. I relate to this journey and this song elicits reflection from when I hit my perceived rock bottom. Around the time this song was released, I was trying to learn how to cope with my mother's terminal diagnosis, I was struggling with my own mental and physical health, and I was dropped from the degree program because my grades were suffering. At that point in my life, I felt trapped and I didn't know how to pull myself out of that situation. If you watch the linked music video for "lovely," Billie and Khalid are trapped in a large glass box, which I feel accurately illustrates the feeling I was experiencing at the time. I know I'm not alone in feeling this way, I think this song can relate to everyone and their individual struggles with hard times in their life.

Lyrics

    Both verses present an issue that is holding the artists back from freeing themselves of their mental prison. The first verse portrays a failed attempt to "get out," while the second verse laments the tendency to get lost in negative thought. The pre-chorus reveals the desire to pull themselves out of their depressive state and their will to put in the time to reach their goals. The chorus, however, has a more sarcastic tone that mocks the situation, asking "isn't it lovely" that living with their depression is the norm (SMF).

Timbre and Articulation

    While Billie's signature raspy singing style is well suited for the song, Kahlid departed from his usual clear and bright timbre to pair with Billie. The blend of their voices could be described as "angelic" (Fields). The grit in their voices sounds similar to what it would sound like if someone had gone hoarse from crying, which added another dimension to the experience. The articulation of the sung notes can be described as slow and lazy (in the best way). The phrases are dragged, almost as if each word carries a heavy weight that requires an immense amount of energy to sing them. This provides an audible parallel to what one may experience while experiencing deep depression, how seemingly small tasks could require much more energy than what can be provided.

Dynamics

    For most of the song, Billie and Khalid sing relatively quietly that pairs with the sad and mellow theme of the song. There is a slight crescendo during the pre-chorus which aligns with the phrasing that reflects a slight optimism about their intentions of helping themselves, regardless of how long it takes. The phrases of the chorus also have slight changes in dynamics that give a "push and pull" sensation to accompany the sarcastic sentiment of the section. The dynamics are more perceivable in a live show they performed which you can watch here.

Sources

SMF. “Meaning of ‘Lovely’ by Billie Eilish & Khalid.” Song Meanings and Facts, 18 Oct. 2018,                       

     www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/meaning-of-lovely-by-billie-eilish-khalid/.

Fields, Peyton. “Single Review: Billie Eilish & Khalid - 'Lovely'.” When The Horn Blows, 20 Apr. 2018, 

   whenthehornblows.com/content//2018/04/single-review-billie-eilish-khalid.html.