Try not to abuse your power, sings Billie Eilish through acoustic guitar and haunted background vocals. On Thursday (April 29), the pop singer-songwriter released a brand new primer, a moody track called “Your Power,” from her forthcoming sophomore record. “This is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written,” she shares on Instagram.
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“I feel very vulnerable putting this one out because I hold it so close to my heart,” she continues. “This is about many different situations that we’ve all either witnessed or experienced. I hope this can inspire change. Try not to abuse your power.”
She said you were a hero / You played the part, Eilish whispers with a cool venom. But you ruined her in a year / Don’t act like it was hard / And you swear you didn’t know / No wonder why you didn’t ask / She was sleeping in your clothes / But now she’s got to get to class.
In the accompanying visual, another self-directed set-piece, Eilish employs imagery of an 80-pound anaconda, slithering across her lap, to further underscore the message. Within the last several years, a reckoning seems to be taking place, as more women have come forward with stories of abuse and assault unlike ever before. As the pop star is perched among the hills of Simi Valley, there’s both majesty and melancholy working overtime. Will you only feel bad if it turns out / That they kill your contract? / Would you?, she provokes.
“Your Power,” a solo write by Eilish and produced by Finneas, samples Happier Than Ever, out everywhere July 30 on Darkroom/Interscope Records. The album is now up for pre-order.
