Why Billie's Unique Approach to Music Is Beneficial to Society

The podcast discusses how Billie Eilish's anxiety-based music has had a positive effect on society. It explores the importance of celebrities being vulnerable and honest about mental health issues, as it spreads empathy and helps people feel less alone. The podcast also mentions the views of a music therapy clinic coordinator who agrees that music with anxiety-based lyrics can be beneficial. It emphasizes the need to understand the meaning behind the lyrics before judging them. The podcast concludes by highlighting the importance of celebrities addressing everyday obstacles and creating a more empathetic world. It ends by stating that anxiety-based music is beneficial to society and can help people cope. Hey, everyone. I hope you're having a fantastic day today. This is Zoe Schocke, and I'm a freshman at the University of Minnesota, and I'm currently writing a research paper. Today we'll be discussing how American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish has affected several generations as a podcast to add on to my paper. The intended audience for this podcast is anyone interested in Billie Eilish's unique songwriting style, or anyone wondering why they enjoy or dislike anxiety-based music. The purpose of creating this podcast is to dig deeper into the effects of celebrities being vulnerable and honest, even with triggering subjects. I've come to the conclusion through research that anxiety-based music has an overall positive effect on society, and I believe that it should be used more often in the music industry. It's a good thing to see that not everyone is happy all the time, and no one is perfect. No matter how dark the topic is, songwriters should be transparent with what's going on in their minds, because it spreads mental health empathy as well as general empathy, which can help people with patience for others as well as with themselves. When someone asks who my favorite artist is, I immediately respond with Billie Eilish. Depending on the person, they typically respond with something along the lines of How are you doing? or Are you okay? That's how I feel about that situation. This drives me absolutely bonkers, because it leads me to believe that they haven't actually taken time to analyze the lyrics. Anyone could agree that a majority of her lyrics are anxiety-based and or coming from a place of depression, but she also has several songs that come from a place of growth, compassion, and dominance. I've been a fan of hers since 2015 when she released her first song, Ocean Eyes, and ever since then, I've never missed a song of hers. To me, her lyrics are extremely meaningful and personal. She writes with intent to make the audience feel something, which is what music is all about. Her music is relatable and dips into mental health-related issues, which helps spread mental health empathy. Celebrities opening up about anxiety, depression, everyday obstacles, suicidal ideation, and body issues is extremely important, because people need that snapback into reality, that even the most famous people on earth have their own insecurities and mental health blocks that they need to work on as well. We're all human, and no one is better than anyone else. So does anxiety-based music have a positive or negative effect on society? I think absolutely it has a positive effect. Alex Krasavich is a Billboard number one music producer and songwriter, who has collaborated with celebrities you could probably guess within a couple tries. No, seriously, guess. Artists so famous such as Panic! at the Disco, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Miranda Lambert, Adele, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, I mean, I could name a bunch more that you would probably recognize. He has not worked with Billie Eilish directly, yet, but his idea of music and what should be incorporated fits directly into Billie's style of romanticizing depression and expressing honest emotions through music. Alex has earned a PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he has studied the influence of pop music that refer to mental health, attitudes, and behavior of our youth. He says it's very beneficial to society considering it spreads mental health empathy, which is what I've been saying over and over again. It's a good thing because of the stigma suggesting that the person expressing thoughts of mental health issues just wants attention or that the person is weak. The increase in music with anxiety-based lyrics would be beneficial considering all the individuals that need help but won't ask for it. He says, quote, The world is not getting softer, but more aware of what's going on in the minds of the people around them. That is exactly what I should say when people respond so negatively towards her music. It's not just that I'm depressed. It's me trying to come to terms with the fact that the world is not getting softer, but more aware of what could be happening in the minds of people around them. On that note, I think the reason stigmas regarding mental illnesses are slowly disappearing is only because of the advances in technology we have today. The way we can stream any song we want as many times as we want from anywhere has helped millions of people. We all use music to cope, even if we don't realize it. Social media has helped normalize mental illnesses as well. I feel her music is a really good choice for music therapy, so I Zoomed with an on-campus music therapy clinic coordinator here at the University of Minnesota, and he had some things to say that I totally agree with. Lyric analysis is a piece of music therapy, and he said it's not about how the therapist views the lyrics. It depends on the person who's listening to it and how they're feeling right then and there. You can get different meanings out of songs each time you listen to them. It just depends on the way that the listener interprets it. Reflection and validation is a great feeling if the listener takes it in that way. I'm going to insert some clips from my interview with him. His name is Todd Schwartzberg. From what you've heard, though, do you enjoy her music? I think she's a brilliant artist. I think that the care that she puts in her lyrics really shows that she's very comfortable with being very vulnerable with various topics. And I really feel like that the messaging that comes out of it can be very empowering and very inspiring to many of her fans. And so, yeah, I have nothing wrong with it at all. Again, I think it goes back to the person listening to it. And if they find a message in it that inspires them or that gives them self-confidence and empowerment, then that's great. Or if it gives them reflection or validation of something that they may be feeling, I think it's great. Yeah, the reflection piece of it and the vulnerability is a lot of what's in my paper. So that was a really good thing to say. Could you explain a little more about what you do as an on-campus music therapy clinic coordinator? Yeah, yeah. I'm humbled to. Thank you. So here at the U, I wear a couple of different hats. I amazingly get to teach our undergraduate and graduate student music therapists as they prepare to be music therapists. And that's usually during the mornings when we have classes. And then in the afternoon, I oversee and also provide clinical services in our on-campus music therapy clinic, where we have usually autistic teens and autistic young adults. That tends to be my area of focus. And so I provide services in our clinic. And then our students also use the clinic as an opportunity to advance their education and receive important clinical hours and clinical training as well. Nice. Thanks. Do you think suicidal ideation is a good thing for celebrities to open up about? It's kind of a touchy subject. Well, it's a touchy subject, but it's also an important subject. Yes, I do. That's my short answer. Yes, I do. I don't think we should glorify it. Right. Absolutely. But I do think that we need to destigmatize mental health. I think we do need to destigmatize things such as suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts so that those that may feel or be thinking of suicide or feel that they need to attempt suicide, that they know that there are people that are around that will not negatively judge them for feeling that way but are there to help them and to support them. And if our musical artists, our Hollywood actors, poets, book writers, politicians, I mean anybody, anyone that we feel that we can trust and that we can see ourselves through, if they're comfortable sharing, then I hope that it can give hope and it can give support to those that may be feeling that suicide is the only way when there are other healthy ways to work through difficult things. But if you're too ashamed or scared to admit it out loud because you feel that you may be negatively judged, then we have to do everything we can in our society to tell stories. And to tell stories like, for instance, through music. Yeah, I agree. That was great. Thanks. So I have a couple snippets of lyrics from her that I just wanted to talk about what they kind of mean. Okay. So from the first song, it's called Everybody Dies. So, everybody dies, that's what they say. Well, maybe in a couple hundred years they'll find another way. I just wonder why you'd want to stay. If everybody goes, you'd still be alone. Wow. So, what I have written down here is I think that that's kind of about the limit on life is what makes it beautiful. And then why would anyone want to stay forever and see all your loved ones go, like your pets, your parents, your friends. Just kind of like the limit is kind of what makes life worth living, kind of. Yeah, I agree. So, not only do I think that you're absolutely right because it's your opinion and you own it, and that's a great opinion, but I also agree with your opinion, too. Every culture is different, though, too, right? Like, depending on what culture you were raised in, or what part of the world, or what part of the nation, even, that you were raised in, you might hear those lyrics differently, depending upon your culture, your religion, your lived experience, your views on life. You may even view those differently. It is interesting, though, how here in Western civilization culture, some of us think, and it sounds like you and I may be similar in this, that the moments that you're given to live are those moments, and you've got to live them to the very best that you can, and live each second to the very best that you can, and not live with any regrets, and continue to learn from your experiences, engage with others, but once that time is up, that time is up. This is what I mean by people need to take a second to think about what the lyrics mean before they judge them. Without thinking about the meaning behind the lyrics, it just sounds super sad and depressing. But after talking about the meaning behind them, I've realized that she is reminding the audience that the limit on life is what makes life worth living to the fullest. Listen Before I Go is another example of anxiety-based music. I interpret the lyrics as Billy needing reassurance and feeling helpless in a situation or relationship. Quote, if you need me, want to see me, you better hurry, I'm leaving soon. Sorry can't save me now. Sorry I don't know how. Sorry there's no way out, but down. This is important for society to hear, because lyrics of this sort are necessary for society to have as an outlet if they feel the same way. So why is it important for celebrities to write about their everyday obstacles in life, besides creating a more empathetic world, and creating a source for society to use as an outlet? Everyday obstacles can look different for everyone. Maybe you suffer from a skin condition that makes it itchy or painful, or you have crippling OCD, or basically anything you can think of that you wouldn't want to be known for. Of course it is completely up to the individual to decide what they want the public to know. A post went around Instagram attempting to expose Billy for having Tourette Syndrome, and the person that posted it got what they wanted, an honest response. Billy said she didn't want the public to know about that, because she didn't want to be known for it. But she didn't want to continue to hide it. Later on she said, quote, I learned that a lot of my fans have it, which made me feel more at home saying it. When I came across this quote, Billy said after coming out to her fans that she has Tourette's, it explains the reasoning perfectly. When someone you look up to explains that they deal with similar issues, it makes you feel less alone and less crazy. It forces you to realize that nobody is perfect. Nobody deals with zero obstacles. Nobody deals with zero things that bother them. And that is exactly why I idolize Billy so much. She does care what her fans think, but at the end of the day she's going to be honest, and I respect that. And the reason I bring up her coming out with having Tourette's is because she felt better about being open and honest about the situation, and fans reacted in a positive way as well. It's just another example of how celebrities need to write about and be open about topics that they don't necessarily want to share. In Billy's song, When the Party's Over, she writes, Don't you know I'm no good for you? I've learned to lose, you can't afford to. Tore my shirt to stop you bleeding, but nothing ever stops you leaving. And I take that as a very insecure person would do anything for a person they love, even if they know they're going to leave anyways. And why would she let everyone know that? That's a very personal thought, and that puts her in a very vulnerable position, but she doesn't care because she provides an outlet for others as well, and that's very important. She does that with her song, I Don't Want to Be You Anymore as well. She writes, If teardrops could be bottles, there'd be swimming pools filled by models. Told a tight dress is what makes you a whore. If I love you was a promise, would you break it if you're honest? Tell the mirror what you know she's heard before. I don't want to be you anymore. And I interpret that as everyone has negative thoughts about themselves and their body image, and society is so specific about what they want women to look like, and nobody, I mean, you don't have to look any way. You don't have to look any specific way. And you can wear whatever you want, it doesn't make you a whore. That's just how society is set up. But because of the way society is set up, that makes girls want to look different, and it's very important that celebrities open up about that, because, again, people need to realize that even the most famous people have negative thoughts about themselves. So, to wrap this up, the purpose of this podcast was to spread awareness, and spread awareness that mental illness, even at the most severe stages, is normal, and everyone has access to something that can help them cope. Billie can help us. Overall, anxiety-based music is beneficial to society in several ways, and the only way it could negatively affect someone is if it increases their anxiety. Instead of making them feel less alone in a rough situation. Thank you for listening to my podcast, and have a great rest of your day.