Track Review: Billie Eilish Returns With Gorgeous "My Future"

After the release of the flawless "Not Time To Die," the latest James Bond theme, Billie Eilish has returned to the pop scene with a lush and forward-looking new single by the title of "My Future."

Thematically, the new single picks up where WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO left off. The 5x Grammy Award-winning album drew to a close by way of "listen before i go," a devastating ballad about suicide. In contrast, the aptly tiled "My Future" sees Billie shifting to a brighter state of optimism. She sings "I'm in love with my future/Can't wait to meet her," with tone that subtly moves away from the menacing dreariness of her debut to something more hopeful. She flips the script on the classic pop music romance trope and casts her literal future as the love interest in her ever-evolving story. In that vein, Finneas' production sonically accentuates this thematic shift. "My Future" begins as a sparse and delicate ballad, Billie's vocals and background harmonies are the sole focus. Vocally, she dips into the slight R&B-influences that surfaced on "No Time To Die," and delivers one of her most effective and skillful vocal performance in the first chorus. Immediately after the first chorus, the production swells into Billie's funkiest and most upbeat instrumental yet; the song becomes stacked to the brim with drums, synthesizer, and bass. It's a smart and sensible follow up to the more uptempo sound she utilized on "everything i wanted," a major contender for next year's Grammy Awards. Through the lyrics, vocal performance, and overall production, Billie is alluding to a different — and more sanguine — musical direction. We all will be eagerly anticipating her next move.

Score: 80