In April 2018, a haunting duet crept into the world: Lovely by Billie Eilish and Khalid. Released as part of the 13 Reasons Why: Season 2 soundtrack, this emotive track quickly resonated with listeners grappling with their own inner turmoil.

The Making of Lovely

Billie, Khalid, and Billie’s brother and producer, Finneas, crafted Lovely in Billie’s bedroom. As Finneas recounted, “The three of us wrote this together in my tiny little bedroom. Just like we always do.” This intimate setting birthed raw, vulnerable lyricism exploring depression and loneliness. Finneas built the stark production around Billie and Khalid’s “beautiful voices and the piano” they recorded during writing. The minimalist approach spotlights their powerful vocal interplay.

A Lyrical Journey Through Despair

The song’s title is a poignant juxtaposition: Lovely depicts anything but. It is a paradox, hinting at the bittersweet beauty that unfolds throughout the lyrics. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Billie Eilish explained the title’s origin: “We called it [lovely] because the song was sort of really freaking depressing, so then it’s like, Oh, how lovely. Just taking everything horrible like you know what this is great. I’m so happy being miserable.”

A Vulnerable Soundscape

The song opens with a dimly lit atmosphere, painted with the soft strains of a piano and Billie Eilish’s hushed vocals. Her voice acts as a vessel for raw emotion, echoing the vulnerability of someone confessing their deepest secrets.

“Thought I found a way out / But you never go away / So I guess I gotta stay now.“

Her airy delivery conveys resignation to melancholy’s grip. Madison Leinster’s mournful violin strings, reminiscent of tear-stained faces and rain-soaked streets, add another layer of heartache.

A Shared Descent into Darkness and Beauty in the Broken

Khalid joins, his smoother timbre offering solace amid the sorrow.

“Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near / want to feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear.”

Their harmonies unite two lost souls, finding twisted comfort in their shared pain. The chorus sees Billie lamenting, “Isn’t it lovely, all alone?” Her “heart made of glass” and “mind of stone” paint a picture of emotional numbness. She acknowledges feeling torn apart: “Tear me to pieces, skin to bone.” The song’s brilliance lies in its ability to find beauty within the darkness. It presents the paradox of finding solace in solitude. 

A Legacy of Shared Struggles

Lovely gained further recognition after being featured on the soundtrack of the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” a show that delves into themes of teen depression and suicide. The song’s inclusion resonated with viewers struggling with similar issues, solidifying its place as an anthem for those battling inner demons.

Lovely’s Poignant Music Visuals

The Taylor Cohen and Matty Peacock-directed visuals bring Lovely’s desolate themes to life. Billie and Khalid appear isolated in separate glass cases, painfully reaching for connection. The cases manifest internal prisons, where one’s mind becomes an inescapable cage. Lovely left an indelible mark, resonating deeply across the globe. Billie later commented on the lyrics’ open-ended meaning: “I try not to like, let it be known, because I like the idea of people’s theories of shit… Every single answer, and every single theory, and every single interpretation of the song—that’s the point of art.“

Conclusion

In its few minutes, Lovely became a modern hymn for the brokenhearted and disenchanted. Billie and Khalid’s lush delivery and Finneas’ muted production coalesce into a paradoxically gorgeous depiction of despair. This melancholic masterpiece will long endure as a haunting yet healing musical catharsis.

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Billie Eilish & Khalid Lovely Lyrics

Verse 1: Billie Eilish & Khalid
Thought I found a way
Thought I found a way out (Found)
But you never go away (Never go away)
So I guess I gotta stay now

Pre-Chorus: Billie Eilish & Khalid
Oh, I hope some day I’ll make it out of here
Even if it takes all night or a hundred years
Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near
Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear

Chorus: Billie Eilish with Khalid
Isn’t it lovely, all alone?
Heart made of glass, my mind of stone
Tear me to pieces, skin to bone
Hello, welcome home

Verse 2: Khalid with Billie Eilish
Walking out of time
Looking for a better place (Looking for a better place)
Something’s on my mind
Always in my head space

Pre-Chorus: Billie Eilish & Khalid
But I know someday I’ll make it out of here
Even if it takes all night or a hundred years
Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near
Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear

Chorus: Billie Eilish with Khalid
Isn’t it lovely, all alone?
Heart made of glass, my mind of stone
Tear me to pieces, skin to bone
Hello, welcome home

Outro: Khalid, Billie Eilish, Khalid & Billie Eilish
Woah, yeah
Yeah, ah
Woah, woah
Hello, welcome home