#also this might be a Zoomer Take but like. teenagers especially are expected to act like adults

[agentgreenbean]

one of my main life goals is to not become one of those adults that dismisses every problem that kids/teenagers have as silly or ridiculous. even if i can see that the problems won't matter in the long run, i have to keep the ability to see that it's real for them in the current moment

[thesinglesjukebox]

BILLIE EILISH - EVERYTHING I WANTED

[7.11]

Meanwhile, congratulations to Finneas, now a Grammy nominee with one listed album credit and zero Wikipedia bios...

Will Adams: Billie Eilish ruminating on fame via song is to be expected after this year, but "Everything I Wanted" is a more relatable take on the format: straightforward but brutal imagery -- a nightmare about jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge and no one caring -- set to the harried pulse of "Ribs." And at its core, it's not a "woe is fame" screed but a dedication to Billie's brother, who acts as her anchor amidst the storm. It's touching, but it's also the kind of vulnerability one could only get from a teenager who's been thrust into such a situation. [7]

Ian Mathers: There's an undertow to a lot of Eilish's songs, production-wise, vocals-wise, lyrics-wise, emotionally even: something that seems to be pulling back or ebbing away. Here, it's that piano, and the almost muttered delivery. "Everything I Wanted" hits several of the spins you might expect from someone this young after this kind of banner year -- dreams, her relationship with her brother, that "everything I wanted" might not be what her fans assume it is, etc. -- but puts a slightly different torque on nearly all of them, while being more outright lovely than anything on her album. [8]

Isabel Cole: It feels odd to describe a song describing a nightmare of unmourned suicide as sweet, no matter how warm and unfussy its piano line. But it's the chorus's depiction of unwavering support that lingers after, maybe because the song wisely avoids playing it musically as a big uplift. She still sounds fragile and morose, especially on they don't deserve you, like maybe she doesn't believe him but is grateful for his presence all the same. [7]

Katherine St Asaph: The first Billie Eilish single in a while that I actually can imagine someone else releasing, and I don't think it's entirely due to the music industry commissioning 10,000 Eilish knockoffs in the past year. The track is melancholy strobing late-night house (think "Vermillion") with few surprises; the chorus swells in conventionally touching form. This would probably be an [8] from anyone else. [6]

William John: A maudlin dance album from Lorde, produced by someone like DJ Koze, is high on my list of things from 2020 that I would love to see but know I'll never get. "Everything I Wanted" makes me think that maybe it's likelier I'll get that album from Billie Eilish. The whole song is spellbinding, but the bit that really sticks in my head is the introduction of an unexpected harmony on the pivotal word "change" in the chorus, demonstrating her ability to wring the most out of simple tricks. [8]

Kylo Nocom: She's fallen into the trap most people fall into as they grow older: mistaking sonic normalcy for a sign of maturity. Balladry and temperance are weaknesses that Billie still needs to work out, but she can't help but call back to the simple harmonies and modesty of "Ocean Eyes," even when she's worked in vicious rage enough to understand this as her strongest suit. As always, however, she writes about teenage hurt with enough precision to make this watered-down ambiance forgivable, and almost meaningful. [5]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: What "Everything I Wanted" lacks in the camp department, it gains in coherence and poise-- it's more fully formed than her ballads tend to be, less chaotic than her uptempo numbers. It's not the most interesting thing she's done -- "fame sucks" songs rarely are -- but it's an artistic step forward and an indicator that Eilish has the potential to be more than just a zoomer icon. [7]

Alex Clifton: I can't imagine what it's like to suddenly have your entire life spotlighted when you're a teenager who also deals with anxiety and depression, skyrocketing to fame after having your music live in your own head for so long. And Billie Eilish has spun those feelings into a better piece of art than I've ever been able to, her voice worn and fragile like someone older and more tired, but always caught by the security of Finneas's gentle piano line. I hate the idea that art requires suffering to be good and worthwhile, but this deals with it beautifully. [7]

Edward Okulicz: Eilish trades intense drama on a cinematic scale for an intimate close-up, adding emotional chills to dance chill. Few people today are using the untamed emotional palette of a teenager to such interesting and popular effect. She just makes it sound effortless. [9]

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