Why Billie Eilish Had to ‘Take a Break’ From Writing ‘Happier Than Ever’
Billie Eilish and Finneas are the masterminds behind Happier Than Ever and its song “Getting Older.” While writing this track, though, Eilish said she had to “take a break” because she wanted to cry.
Billie Eilish released ‘Happier Than Ever’ in 2021 to critical acclaim
Eilish earned several awards and acclaim for her first full-length album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Since then, she collaborated with Justin Bieber for a “Bad Guy” remix. She also partnered with Disney+ to create a live version of her album Happier Than Ever.
This album dropped in 2021, introducing fans to songs such as “I Didn’t Change My Number,” “Billie Bossa Nova,” and “Happier Than Ever.”
It’s “Happier Than Ever” the song that earned 2022 Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Music Video. Happier Than Ever as an album earned nominations in the Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album categories.
Other songs from this release caught the attention of fans. That includes “Getting Older,” which gave Eilish’s unique perspective of growing up in the spotlight. This was one of the most challenging songs for the artist to write.
Billie Eilish had to ‘take a break’ from writing ‘Getting Older’
As the album’s first song, “Getting Older” introduced some of Happier Than Ever‘s themes, which also were echoed in songs including “Happier Than Ever” and “NDA.” When it comes to creating this song, “Getting Older” took an emotional toll on Eilish.
“I had to take a break in the middle of writing that one, and I wanted to cry, because it was so revealing,” Eilish said during an interview with Rolling Stone.
Since its release, “Getting Older” has earned over 75 million Spotify plays, as well as praise from fans worldwide.
Billie Eilish explained some of the lyrics to ‘Getting Older’
Some Eilish fans noticed the personal lyrics included in “Getting Older.” One of the most telling moments of the Happier Than Ever song is the chorus’ opening lines: “Things I once enjoyed/ Just keep me employed now.”
“That line isn’t really, like, ‘Oh, boohoo, I’m sad’ — it’s really just a f****** fact,” Eilish said during an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “Things that I enjoy can sometimes just turn into things that feel like a burden, and it’s really weird. Like, ‘Oh, this is something I used to love, and now it feels like a job.’ It’s not, like, ‘Oh, I hate this now.’ It’s different. It’s changed.”
Of course, Eilish doesn’t have any public plans to pause her music career. Recently, the artist and her brother/collaborator, Finneas, partnered with Disney and Pixar. They composed several songs for the fictional 4*Town band in the animated film Turning Red.
