On Feb. 13, Billie Eilish released “No Time to Die,” the titular song to the 25th James Bond film, which has racked up over eleven million views in less than 24 hours.
The cover for the song is simple—a black and white photo of Eilish with her eyes closed, which certainly gives off My Everything by Ariana Grande vibes. Eilish and her brother, Finneas, wrote the track while Hans Zimmer composed the music. “No Time to Die” succeeds hits like Adele’s “Skyfall” and Sam Smith’s “Writings on the Wall.”
Eilish—being only 18 at the release of the song—is the youngest artist ever to record a 007 title song. But, this isn’t the first time Eilish has dabbled in music for movies. In 2018, she released the single “WHEN I WAS OLDER” on the album Music Inspired by the Film ROMA.
“No Time to Die” starts out as a classic Bond theme track with slow and ominous piano. Eilish’s vocals creep up on the listener, coated in the tiniest bit of reverb, just enough to add to the dark sound. The simple piano complements Eilish’s powerful voice and picks up during the chorus, along with an added electric guitar.
Eilish croons, “That I’d fallen for a lie / You were never on my side / Fool me once, fool me twice / Are you death or paradise?”
The second verse adds a quiet but intense orchestra that draws the listener in even more. Eilish holds out a haunting, beautifully long note in the second chorus.
“No Time to Die” isn’t revolutionary, but it is a top contender out of recent James Bond theme tracks. Billie Eilish swaps distorted vocals and pseudo-edgy lyrics for an intense soul-like tone that sounds like it should be the backdrop for one of the most famous and iconic spy movie franchises to ever exist.
The song is not gimmicky, and it knows where it stands. With her age accompanying most of her accomplishments, a 007 song is now added to the list. “No Time to Die” proves to those not familiar with Eilish’s voice that she’s more than just a “bad guy.”
Similar to “when the party’s over,” Eilish’s vocal talent shines the most not when it’s buried under pulsing 80s arcade synths and harsh-hitting high hats, but layered on top of a soft piano. This track further proves that Billie Eilish deserves a seat at the pop music table, especially since she has brought back alternative pop to mainstream radio.
Featured image credit via Billie Eilish’s YouTube.
