Billie Eilish is offering fans a preview of her anticipated upcoming sophomore album Happier Than Ever. On Thursday, the singer shared the stripped-down track “Your Power” alongside an emotional video, proving she’s not afraid to make a statement with her music.
Directed by Eilish herself, the stirring visual opens with her camouflaged against a beige, mountainous landscape in Simi Valley, CA. As she’s singing, a snake begins to crawl around her body, which eventually smothers her voice. The snake, of course, acts as a metaphor for men who abuse their power in the music industry, especially against younger women. In the song’s lyrics, Eilish lays out an all-too-familiar scenario of an older man grooming a young woman and only facing the repercussions once he’s publicly called out. “Does it keep you in control? / For you to keep her in a cage? / And you swear you didn’t know / You said you thought she was your age/ How dare you,” she sings.
In a statement alongside the visual, Eilish says she hopes the song can inspire change in the music industry. “this is one of my favorite songs i’ve ever written,” she wrote. “i feel very vulnerable putting this one out because i hold it so close to my heart. this is about many different situations that we’ve all either witnessed or experienced. i hope this can inspire change. try not to abuse your power.”
Watch Eilish’s “Your Power” video above.
Happier Than Ever is out 7/30 via Darkroom/Interscope. Pre-order it here.