Billie Eilish’s new single “Your Power” came out last week, and as always, the pop artist has decided to bring serious issues into the mainstream. Eilish’s voice is hauntingly beautiful as she pleads with listeners to “try not to abuse your power”. The song deals with the issue of grooming underage girls and with lyrics like “you swear you didn’t know/ you said you thought she was your age”, Eilish has once again put a spotlight on a major issue in the music industry. She said in an interview that being famous gives people serious power:
“There’s all these [fans] who are incredibly vulnerable and would honestly do anything you say. That’s a crazy feeling. Nobody should be given the power that we’re given.”
Eilish is known for covering serious topics in her music, whether is be the romanticization of drugs or suicide - but as a resident of Orange County this single really hit home for me. It was only about a year ago that @lured_by_burger_records rose to prominence in the OC music scene.
Many small bands that myself and other women looked up to were exposed for using their influence to have sexual relationships with minors and fans. Bands like Surf Curse that had championed themselves as safe spaces for women in the punk scene were exposed by victims for sexual abuse.
When I was sixteen, I thought it was cool for my friends to date 23-year-old musicians they loved. Now as I approach 20, I see how predatory that relationship is. Young girls who are approached by celebrities they idolize are victims of an abusive power dynamic. In “Your Power” Eilish asks abusers, “how dare you?”. I hope that all young men and women out there are listening to her words. The outrage in this song is a sentiment that is important to echo throughout the music world in order to protect young fans. Calling abusers out is just the first step to making the music community a safer place for everyone.