Billie Eilish Discusses the Many Inspirations Behind Her Music in a Fascinating Miniseries

Updated on 5/30/2019 at 5:11 PM

Billie Eilish touches on a number of topics in her songs, including love, loss, depression, and self-image. But perhaps the most gripping aspect of her music is the execution — her haunting lyrics and vocals mixed with textured melodies add such rich layers to her storytelling craft.

How do all of these moving parts come to fruition for the 17-year-old prodigy? In her YouTube miniseries A Snippet Into Billie's Mind, she and her brother, Finneas O'Connell — who helps the singer write and produce her music — discuss the creative process behind some of her most popular songs. And some of the ways they think of concepts and ideas just might surprise you (i.e., Eilish using a screeching recording of an orthodontist shaving off her Invisalign attachments in "Bury a Friend"). Ahead, watch Eilish and O'Connell explain the meanings behind their songs and how they transform everyday experiences into otherworldly bangers.

The Meaning of "Bury a Friend"

Written from the perspective of a monster, Eilish elucidates the various meanings of "Bury a Friend" and how she and Finneas come up with the spine-chilling background melodies and blares.

The Meaning of "Wish You Were Gay"

Eilish explains how her personal experience with heartbreak and dealing with her own pride led to her to come up with "Wish You Were Gay."

The Meaning of "Xanny"

After witnessing her friends completely intoxicated, Eilish shares how she was inspired to write "Xanny" and create a sound akin to the feelings of smoke and ashes.

Spotlight Stories

In this clip, Eilish reviews some of the general inspirations behind her music. She reveals a handful of fun facts about her creative process, including how she turns her dreams into songs and experiences sound-to-color synesthesia while producing beats and melodies.