There are plenty of impressive things about Billie Eilish’s music career thus far – particularly how much she’s accomplished at such a young age. At 20, Eilish already has seven Grammys, a Golden Globe and Academy Award under her belt.
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Accolades aside, the way Eilish portrays all of the feelings involved in breaking things off with a toxic partner in her 2021 song, “Happier Than Ever,” the title track to her second studio album, displays a maturity that goes well beyond her years.
Who Is Billie Eilish’s Song “Happier Than Ever” About?
Eilish has made a point of keeping details about her relationships private. In a recent interview, Eilish candidly discussed that she’s had relationships that she has purposely not gone public with – which makes it hard to determine exactly who the singer’s new song, “Happier Than Ever,” could be about. However, fans do have a theory.
In her Apple+ TV documentary, The World’s A Little Blurry, Eilish did open up about her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, rapper Brandon Quention Adams, whose stage name is 7: AMP. Eilish refers to him as Q. She shared that the two split up after less than a year of dating due to their differences.
Eilish made it clear that she wasn’t happy in the relationship, saying that the two of them did not ultimately want the same things. In the documentary, Eilish states, “I don’t think you should be in a relationship super excited about things that the other person couldn’t care less about.” She also says she’s happier without him – which is a clear indicator for many fans that the song is about her breakup with Q.
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One string of lyrics that fans have pointed to as proof of the connection between Q and the song are:
“You do the opposite of what you said you’d do / And I’d end up more afraid / Don’t say it isn’t fair / You clearly were aware that you made me miserable.”
As well as the primary lyric:
“When I’m away from you / I’m happier than ever.”
“Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish Depicts a Toxic Breakup
If “Happier Than Ever” is indeed about Eilish’s relationship with Q, it appears that the relationship was tumultuous.
Musically, the song’s opening melody sounds purposefully jazzy, a call back to music of the 1940s. You can almost imagine Eilish looking back on the past as she sings the song’s opening lines:
“When I’m away from you
I’m happier than ever
Wish I could explain it better
I wish it wasn’t true, mmm.”
The melody continues as Eilish wonders whether or not her ex keeps up with what she’s up to through interviews she gives or even by passing down her street – behavior that seems troublesome and borderline stalker-like.
She offers the thought that perhaps he didn’t fully know how miserable he was making her with the line:
“You clearly weren’t aware that you made me miserable, ooh.”
After the second chorus, where Eilish states she’s happier than ever without her ex, the song musically flips, changing to a more modern-day sounding melody that features electric guitar – a stark contrast to the old Hollywood sound of the first half of the track musically encompasses.
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Along with the musical change, the lyrics become much harsher and cutting at this point, suggesting the first half was reminiscent of the way Eilish acted in the relationship, staying calm and collected so as not to anger him. She unleashes her true feelings in the second half, which contains explicatives.
The song goes on to accuse the ex of more bad behavior, from purposely making her feel bad to not putting an effort in with her friends or even her own mother, which led to her shutting these people out of her life in favor of spending time with him.
Whichever mystery ex-boyfriend Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” is based on, it’s loud and clear this song was not written to keep the line of communication open. The song concludes with, “Just f***in’ leave me alone.” For Eilish’s sake, here’s to hoping he has been keeping up with her work – and heeds this warning since it’s clear she’s happier without him.
Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” Full Lyrics
Still on the fence about who Eilish might be referring to in her new song? Read the below song lyrics in full to determine it for yourself.
[Chorus]
When I’m away from you
I’m happier than ever
Wish I could explain it better
I wish it wasn’t true, mmm
[Verse 1]
Give me a day or two
To think of something clever
To write myself a letter
To tell me what to do, mm-mm
Do you read my interviews?
Or do you skip my avenue?
When you said you were passin’ through
Was I even on your way?
I knew when I asked you to (When I asked you to)
Be cool about what I was tellin’ you
You’d do the opposite of what you said you’d do (What you said you’d do)
And I’d end up more afraid
Don’t say it isn’t fair
You clearly weren’t aware that you made me miserable, ooh
So, if you really wanna know
[Chorus]
When I’m away from you (When I’m away from you)
I’m happier than ever (I’m happier than ever)
Wish I could explain it better (Wish I could explain it better)
I wish it wasn’t
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 2]
You call me again, drunk in your Benz
Drivin’ home under the influence
You scared me to death but I’m wastin’ my breath
‘Cause you only listen to your f***in’ friends
I don’t relate to you
I don’t relate to you, no
Cause I’d never treat me this sh**ty
You made me hate this city
[Verse 3]
And I don’t talk shit about you on the internet
Never told anyone anything bad
Cause that sh*t’s embarrassing, you were my everything
And all that you did was make me f***in’ sad
So, don’t waste the time I don’t have
And don’t try to make me feel bad
I could talk about every time that you showed up on time
But I’d have an empty line cause you never did
Never paid any mind to my mother or friends, so I
Shut ’em all out for you cause I was a kid
[Outro]
You ruined everything good
Always said you were misunderstood
Made all my moments your own
Just f***in’ leave me alone
