London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Billie Eilish's Music and Style Evolution

Billie Eilish's Music and Style Evolution

In light of the singers second studio album, Happier Than Ever, dropping tomorrow, see how she has transformed from the drop of Ocean Eyes in 2015 to now.

Billie Eilish has always a been force to be reckoned with. From the drop of her song “Ocean Eyes” to “NDA” a few weeks ago, she’s conquered the electronic alternative scene, and at such a young age. She started working on music with her brother, Finneas O'Connell, at age 13, and it wasn’t long before “Ocean Eyes” went viral on SoundCloud in 2015. Now 19, Eilish has continually reinvented herself through each album release, both through her sound and her style. Every song from Don’t Smile at Me, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, and Happier Than Ever has sounded different, but they all still feature the hallmarks of Eilish’s sound: the ASMR qualities of her voice, electronic-alternative production, perfectly aligned background vocals, the vocoder, a production tool used to synthesize a recorded voice allowing her to achieve a low-pitched, shaky vocal on some of her songs.

With her style, Eilish has been known to be more conservative until recently. For the first few years of her career, she crafted her image to avoid comments on her body through her signature baggy pants, boots, oversized shirts, puffer jackets, beanies, and various hair color changes. But now, Eilish has stepped out and reclaimed her look by wearing exactly what she wants, first seen on the June 2021 British Vogue cover when she sported lingerie and heels for the shoot. Eilish still rocks her long acrylic nails and baggy clothes from time to time, but it’s clear that she’s completely transformed and come into her own.

Here, L’OFFICIEL looks at her music and style evolution throughout each stage of her career from 2015 to now. Her newfound confidence is unparalleled and inspiring, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store with Happier Than Ever, out tomorrow.

Don't Smile at Me




Eilish came roaring out of the gates in 2017 with her debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me. After going viral on SoundCloud, “Ocean Eyes” was officially part of this EP on streaming services, in addition to eight other songs produced and written with her brother. Establishing herself as an upcoming star, these songs featured electronic production and unique lyrics, such as “I wanna be alone / Alone with you, does that make sense? / I wanna steal your soul / And hide you in my treasure chest” on her song “Hostage.”

Other notable tracks from Don’t Smile at Me are “Idontwannabeyouanymore,” a bluesy piano-based track filled with suspenseful seventh chords, a tripled time signature for a waltz feel, and lyrics filled with a deep meaning, and “My Boy,” another jazzy track with some improvised vocal riffs, electric piano, and synthesizers. Then, there’s “Watch” and “&Burn,” which contain the exact same lyrics but couldn’t sound more different. “Watch” is the more delicate version, with piano and a lighter beat, whereas “&Burn” is darker, featuring a heavier beat, more of a speaking-singing lead vocal from Eilish, and a rapped bridge from Vince Staples.

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?




A darker turn was taken in 2019 with the release of Eilish’s debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?. “Bad Guy,” perhaps Eilish’s most well-known song to date, was the fifth single from the album and her very first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Containing more sexual lyrics than the first album in addition to a louder bass and EDM-inspired instrumental breaks, this song turned her image from a tween singer to a moody teenage baddie, seen in “My Strange Addiction” and “Bury a Friend” as well. “You Should See Me in a Crown” and “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” amplify her voice of feminine power, and “Xanny,” “When the Party’s Over,” and “I Love You” reveal the struggles of being a teenager, including experiences of drugs, parties, and heartbreak, all produced under a deep bass, dance beats, and Eilish’s whispery vibrato. She even directed her first music video for “Xanny." One thing’s for sure, this album has it all.

Happier Than Ever




So far, we have five songs from the 16-track album, Happier Than Ever. We can’t wait to hear the rest and hope they have lyrics as great as “Lost Cause,” where Eilish sings: “Thought you had your shit together, but damn, I was wrong / You ain't nothin' but a lost cause / And this ain’t nothin’ like it once was.” Right off the bat, it’s easy to tell that Eilish is living up to the title, with “My Future” and “Lost Cause,” two songs about becoming independent and focusing on herself without a relationship. “NDA” and “Therefore I Am" feature heavier electronic production and lyrics about reclaiming power over men and the media, while “Your Power" details overcoming an abusive relationship. She’s also self-directed several music videos for this album too, including “Your Power,” “Lost Cause,” and “NDA.” Alongside her music showcasing her everchanging confidence and independence, it’s evident through her style as well. Let’s get into it.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×