Lovely (Billie Eilish and Khalid song)

"Lovely" (stylized in all lowercase letters) is a song recorded by American singers Billie Eilish and Khalid. It was released by Darkroom and Interscope Records as the lead single from the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why’s second season soundtrack. Eilish and Khalid wrote the song with Eilish's brother, Finneas O'Connell, who produced the track. The song has been described as a chamber pop ballad. Its lyrics describe Eilish and Khalid trying to overcome serious depression together.

"Lovely"
Single by Billie Eilish and Khalid
from the album 13 Reasons Why: Season 2 (Music from the Original TV Series)
ReleasedApril 19, 2018 (2018-04-19)
Genre
Length3:20
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Finneas O'Connell
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"Bitches Broken Hearts"
(2018)		 "Lovely"
(2018)		 "Party Favor"
(2018)
Khalid singles chronology
"Love Lies"
(2018)		 "Lovely"
(2018)		 "OTW"
(2018)
Music video
"Lovely" on YouTube

Upon its release, "Lovely" received positive reviews from music critics. "Lovely" reached number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the song peaked within the top ten in several other countries. It was certified tuplet platinum in Australia. The track was accompanied by a music video released on April 26, 2018. The video depicts Eilish and Khalid walking around a glass case, interacting with each other. Eilish included the track on the setlists of her 2019 When We All Fall Asleep Tour and her 2020 Where Do We Go? World Tour.

Background and release

"Lovely" was released on April 19, 2018, for digital download and streaming through Darkroom and Interscope Records as the lead single for the album 13 Reasons Why: Season 2 (Music from the Original TV Series).[1] The song was later included on the expanded edition of her debut EP Don't Smile at Me.[2] The track was written by Billie Eilish, Khalid and Finneas O'Connell, while production was solely handled by the latter. Mastering and mixing was handled by the studio personnel, John Greenham and Rob Kinelski, respectively.[3] In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1, Eilish explained the inspiration for the track’s title: “We called it that 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.”[4][5] A remix by American electronic dance music duo Hippie Sabotage, was released on July 10, 2018 through Soundcloud.[6] Dan Regan of Billboard praised the remix, saying it has "fresh vocals" and a "trap-style beat [that] buff new dimension into the song".[7]

Compostion and lyrical interpretation

Critical commentary described "Lovely" as a chamber pop-based stripped back ballad.[4][8][9][10][11] According to sheet music published by Universal Music Publishing Group at Musicnotes.com, it is written in the key of E minor with a moderately fast tempo of 114 beats per minute; its chord progression follows a basic sequence of Cmaj7–Em–Bm.[12] The track features minimalist production that consists of piano, violin strings provided by Madison Leinster, and percussion".[10][11][13] Eilish also explained about working with Khalid and how the track was created to Zane Lowe: “One thing that I’ll say is that when we wrote this song, what was cool about it was that it wasn’t like we’re going to the studio and going to write a hit. He just came over and we hung out. Me and my brother hung out with Khalid in our house and it was literally this is us hanging out as friends and we ended up writing a song.”[4]

Claudia Willen of Insider stated "Lovely" begins with "Khalid's voice echoing Eilish's vocals, the artists come together to harmonize in the chorus, singing about the feeling of being trapped inside of one's own mind".[14] It finds the duo crooning miserably and being inextricably trapped.[10][15] But it gets even worse as they move into the chorus, as Eilish sings: Isn't it lovely, all alone?/Heart made of glass, my mind of stone/Tear me to pieces, skin to bone/Hello, welcome home."[4] Eilish and Khalid become hopeless as the song is coming to an end. "But I know 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 fight my fear", as backdrop piano and two chord strings accompany the lyrics.[16]

Critical reception

Upon release, "Lovely" received critical acclaim from music critics. Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone called it a "smoldering ballad".[11] Raisa Bruner writing for The Times labled the song as "somber" and "haunting", and stated "[there] [is] little to celebrate in the dark, brooding lyrics, but still 'Lovely' finds beautiful sounds in that pained place".[10] Mike Nied of Idolator commended the production, and described them as "heartrending strings" and "atmospheric production".[4] Robin Murray writing for Clash depicted the track as a "internet-shattering single", while saying it is a "bold, defiant gesture".[17] David Smyth of Evening Standard cited Eilish's and Khalid's vocals in "Lovely" as a "grandiose duet".[18]

Graham Corrigan of Complex praised the song as a "intensely dramatic offering", and described Eilish's vocals as "smoky" while it "act[s] as quicksand, dragging the listener down to a dark place", Corrigan further described Khalid's vocals as an "interesting counterpoint to [Eilish's] [vocals] as he "occupies a very different textural space, cutting through the straining strings where she seems to melt into the instrumentation".[19] Tyler Schmitt of Variance defined "Lovely" as a track that "lives up to its name".[5] NME's Hannah Mylrea called the song one of the best from the official soundtrack for the second season of 13 Reasons Why, saying, "with its lush strings and interweaving vocals, this sizzling duet is properly gorgeous. The masterfully written [ballad] is completed with heart-wrenching crescendos and trickling piano lines.[20] Tanis Smither writing for Earmilk was similarly positive, saying, "take two of the best voices in pop music and pair them with one of the greatest new producers in pop music, and you get magic" and further mentions "Lovely" has "dramatic and orchestral, with heart-wrenching strings".[13]

Consequence of Sound ranked "Lovely" at number 15 on their list of 2018's best songs. On behalf of the publication, Lake Schatz remarked "Lovely" as "one of the most fragile offerings of [2018]". And comments that the song is another entry that showcases [Eilish's] versatility as an artist".[21] The song placed at number 4 on Billboard's All 27 of Khalid's Collaborations, Ranked: Critic's Picks list, with the staff calling the song "beautiful" and "sorrowful".[22] "Lovely" ranked at number 17 in Australia's Triple J's Hottest 100.[23] Insider placed the song at number 25 on their Every Billie Eilish song, ranked list.[14]

Commerical performance

"Lovely" first debuted at number two on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart on May 4, 2018.[24] The track later rose to number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on January 25, 2019.[25] Following the release of Eilish's debut studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, "Lovely" re-entered the chart at number 85. At the same time, Eilish broke the record for the most simultaneous Hot 100 entries for a female artist.[26] It has received a double-platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which denotes track-equivalent sales of two million units based on sales and streams.[27]

In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number 47 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Eilish's first song to chart in the UK.[28].[29] And has received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which denotes track-equivalent sales of 600,000 units.[30] "Lovely" peaked at number 46 on the Canadian Hot 100 and has received quadruplet platinum certification by Music Canada (MC).[31][32] It was the most successful in Australia, peaking at number five on the ARIA Charts.[33] It has also received the highest certification in Australia, being awarded a tuplet certification.[34]

Music video

A music video for "Lovely" was directed by Taylor Cohen and was uploaded to Eilish's official YouTube channel on April 26, 2018.[35][36][37] The visual begins Eilish being trapped inside a crystalline box.[38] Khalid then appears out of thin air behind her, wearing matching black threads and heaps of silver chains as he sings with her.[36][39] Eilish and Khalid start wandering around the box wearily. A single rain cloud from above starts to unleash rain and thunder.[40][41] The singers sometimes separate, but manage to find their way back to each other.[39] The water from the cloud then starts to freeze the box, ice covers the walls as Khalid and Eilish hold each other inside. But as the visual is towards its end, the ice melts to reveal the box is finally empty.[40] The video's concept was created by Eilish who was inspired and wanted to portray the feeling of being hopelessly trapped with another person.[37][42]

The music video was positively received by critics. Blistein called the visual a "simple yet striking video", while Nied cited it as being a "captivating spectacle complete with brilliant special effects that capture the severity of their situation".[38][40] Chantilly Post writing for HotNewHipHop described that the video "is so simple and striking at the same time".[39] Madeline Roth of MTV said, "the visual is undeniably somber, but they at least seem to find some comfort in one another".[36] Melissa Litterello of Soundigest called the visual "incredible", and depicted that "our eyes were glued throughout to see what would happen next" and that it was "definitely entertaining to watch".[43]

Live performances

"Lovely" was performed live during Eilish's North American 1 by 1 tour in 2018.[44] Eilish performed it at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with Khalid in April 2019.[45] "Lovely" was included on the setlist of Eilish's 2019 When We All Fall Asleep Tour.[46] The track was also included on the setlist of her 2020 Where Do We Go? World Tour.[47]

Track listing
Digital download and streaming[1]
No.TitleLength
1."Lovely"3:20
Digital download – Hippie Sabotage Remix[6]
No.TitleLength
1."Lovely" (Hippie Sabotage Remix)4:47

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[3]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[34] 5× Platinum 350,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[76] Platinum 30,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[77] Gold 20,000
Canada (Music Canada)[32] 4× Platinum 320,000
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[78] Platinum 90,000
France (SNEP)[79] Platinum 200,000
Germany (BVMI)[80] Gold 200,000
Italy (FIMI)[81] Platinum 50,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[82] 3× Platinum 180,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[83] 2× Platinum 60,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[84] 3× Platinum 60,000*
Portugal (AFP)[85] 2× Platinum 40,000^
Sweden (GLF)[86] Platinum 8,000,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Platinum 600,000
United States (RIAA)[27] 2× Platinum 2,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

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