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Rising teen alternative musician Billie Eilish checks off the appropriate boxes on single “Wish you were gay,” while also sparking controversy.

“Don’t say I’m not your type / Just say that I’m not your preferred sexual orientation / I’m so selfish.” Hmm, sounds like controversy to me… March 29, 2019 marks the arrival of When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.  Why is that significant? Well, it’s the highly-anticipated, full-length, debut studio album by 17-year old rising alternative-pop artist Billie Eilish. Eilish has been building towards her full-length slowly, but surely, dropping a number of awesome gems including “You should see me in a crown” and the frightening “Bury a friend”.  “Wish you were gay” arrives as the fourth advance single, and the sixth track on When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.

Once more, Billie Eilish keeps it within her inner circle regarding production and co-songwriting on “Wish you were gay.” That means her older brother, musician/producer Finneas (Finneas O’Connell) assists, continuing to help craft that distinct sound for Billie.  Like the majority of her songs, Eilish takes a low-key approach to singing, yet still manages to pack a sizable punch nonetheless. On “Wish you were gay,” she opts for balladry, and is ultimately successful, as she portrays a relatable topic, heartbreak.  So, in many respects, Billie checks off boxes. But…

Final Thoughts

The big issue with “Wish you were gay” is the aforementioned controversy – is this record homophobic or promote homophobia? Eilish doesn’t appear to be homophobic, at least intentionally.  Basically, the narrative is that a guy that she liked dumps her, and she hopes its because of his sexual preference and not because of her.  You can see what a teenager was thinking, but that doesn’t keep “Wish you were gay” from becoming quite the discussion piece, not to mention a sense of selfishness and insensitivity.  Is it that deep? Depends, but, ultimately, if nothing else, “Wish you were gay” makes you think very carefully about what you say and how you say it.  As a song itself, it’s worth the listen, though no the best of the bunch released ahead of When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.

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Billie Eilish • When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? • Darkroom / Interscope • Release: 3.29.19

Photo Credits: Darkroom / Interscope