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Bury a Friend
Bury a Friend cover
Single by Billie Eilish
Album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Released January 30, 2019
Recorded 2018
Genre(s) Electronica, electropop, synth-pop, goth-R&B, industrial
Length 3:13
Label(s) Darkroom, Interscope
Producer(s) Finneas O'Connell
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? chronology
"My Strange Addiction"
(9)
"Bury a Friend"
(10)
"Ilomilo"
(11)

Bury a Friend (stylized in all lowercase) is a song recorded by Billie Eilish for her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which was released on March 29, 2019 through Darkroom Records and Interscope Records. The song was released on January 30, 2019 as the third single from the album. The song was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the song. The song was described as synth-pop, electronica and electropop in press reviews, for which hip hop beats, percussion, and a synthesizer provide minimalist instrumentation. Within the dark and violent lyrics, Eilish sings from the perspective of a monster under someone's bed. Her vocals are subtle and treated with layers of vocal effects.

"Bury a Friend" received generally positive reviews from music critics, several of whom praised its dark nature and lyrics. The song was also likened to the music of Marilyn Manson, Lorde and Kanye West. It attained commercial success, including reaching number one in Sweden and Latvia. The song further peaked within the top ten in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded it a triple platinum certification.

Michael Chaves directed the music video for "Bury a Friend", which was uploaded to Eilish's YouTube channel at the same time as the song's first release. The video depicts Eilish singing under the bed of British rapper Mehki Raine (known as Crooks at the time), who provides uncredited vocals on the song, being pulled by black gloves, and walking through a rundown apartment. Critics noted the video's horror elements. Eilish promoted the song by performing it live at venues in 2019, including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Glastonbury Festival and during her When We All Fall Asleep Tour. It was also included on the setlist of her 2020 Where Do We Go? World Tour.

Background and development[]

On January 29, 2019, Billie Eilish formally announced the release of When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and also revealed that she would release a single the next day at 9 AM (PT). She further posted a 16-second teaser of the song, featuring her singing while being grabbed and pushed by gloved hands. "Bury a Friend" was eventually released on the scheduled date, having premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show as the day's World Record. Eilish further made an appearance on Annie Mac's Future Sounds show on BBC Radio 1 to discuss the track. It was serviced to US alternative radio stations on February 19, 2019 by Darkroom and Interscope Records. "Bury a Friend" was written by Eilish along with her brother Finneas O'Connell, while production was solely handled by the latter. The song was mastered by John Greenham and mixed by Rob Kinelski, with both also serving as studio personnel.

The creation of the song took place in Chicago, which Eilish and her brother were visiting for a Lollapalooza performance. They attended a studio with a "shuffle beat" in mind, with Eilish drawing a black monster to show her brother what she wanted the song to sound like. Eilish desired to hear her name at the beginning of the track, for which she texted rapper Calvin (known as Mehki Raine); he ultimately sent Eilish a phone recording for her to use. The singer discovered the rapper on social media due to him repeatedly tagging pictures of himself with the caption "Where's Billie at?" on her Instagram comments. She decided to make him her acquaintance and the two soon became friends.

Music video[]

An accompanying music video for "Bury a Friend" was uploaded to Eilish's official YouTube channel on January 30, 2019. It was directed by Michael Chaves in the span of a day. The clip contains horror elements, which have led to it being regarded by reviewers as "creepy" and "haunting". Eilish explained: "I had this idea where I’m naked. Like an abduction-type thing, completely not in control, just a helpless body, and people putting syringes up my arms and in my neck. That’s one of people’s biggest fears—needles—and that’s what I’ve been doing recently: honing in on people’s fears". The visual begins with Mehki Raine awaking from a nightmare while a "seemingly possessed" Eilish lies under his bed. The singer subsequently walks through a rundown apartment complex before she is pulled and prodded by hands covered with black latex gloves. Eilish is then injected with syringes before she "mysteriously" disappears under Mehki's bed, with scenes also seeing the singer levitating with "broken-doll" feet. Critics have likened the visual to works released by Alice Glass, Chris Cunningham and Floria Sigismondi. Others compared it to the films Suspiria (2018) and Get Out (2017), the television series The Haunting of Hill House, and Stephen King's 1977 novel The Shining.

External Links[]

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