No. 2 on our list of Albums of 2019 is Billie Eilish, undoubtedly the breakthrough star of the year, with her debut album WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? It’s not every year that you see a young star take off with unparalleled success, but 2019 has well and truly been Billie Eilish’s year. From a record-breaking album to sets at some of the biggest festivals in the world, the 18-year-old managed to redefine the pop genre and take over the industry in her first album.
The album is a new take on pop with the singer’s whispery vocals and bold lyrics, inspiring and likely influencing many of the new artists that we’ll be hearing in the new year. Her most successful tracks, like the record-smashing ‘bad guy’ have been standout songs this year, and in terms of rapid popularity and commercial success, Billie Eilish is the reigning songwriter of the year. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that she tops all of the yearly roundup lists and picks up a handful of award nominations on the way.
There are few debut albums that have ever so strongly established a teenager artist’s career in a way that makes even the most cynical critics take her seriously. It’s always been difficult for young musicians to create such a professional musical identity, so in her success Billie Eilish has not only released a whole array of good songs but her music equally paves the way for young people all over the world trying to break into a notoriously difficult industry. Artists with more experience and more records under their belt could learn a thing or two from Billie Eilish about creating art in the modern music industry and reinventing tradition at the same time.
Billie Eilish’s WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? is available via Interscope Records.
