Billie Eilish surprised fans today (January 23) when she announced that the music video for “Everything I Wanted” would be out in an hour. Well, an hour has come and gone, folks, and the “Bad Guy” singer’s new video, which she directed herself, is a spine-chilling and anxiety-inducing journey.
The video, which stars Eilish’s brother and longtime collaborator Finneas, begins with an important message. “Finneas is my brother and my best friend,” the 18-year-old pop star wrote. “No matter the circumstance, we always have and always will be there for each other.” The remainder of the video confirms this to be true.
Following her sweet message to Finneas, Eilish cruises past a beautiful cityscape with her brother in the passenger seat. In true Eilish fashion, their stares are blank, their bodies expressionless. When the siblings drive through a tunnel, they find themselves out of the city, through the desert, past the valley, and onto the beach.
Less than halfway through the nearly five-minute-long video, we realize that it’s not at all about the scenery; it’s about sticking by each other’s side even at hit rock bottom. In this particular case, Eilish drives the car directly into the ocean. And though it’s difficult to watch them getting swept away by the tide and slowly sinking under, the siblings confirm with their hands held tight that everything will be OK because, at the very least, they have each other.
Eilish’s directing skills shine through on this project, and many fans on social media feel that it perfectly encapsulates the feeling of wanting to give up on everything but realizing that there are people who care, even when it doesn’t feel like it. This isn’t the “Ocean Eyes” singer’s first foray into directing, either. Eilish made her directorial debut with her song “Xanny” last month, which was just as soul-stirring and evocative.
