“Everything I Wanted” by Billie Eilish

The title of this song is actually sarcastic. It alludes to the fact that Billie Eilish has recently blown up, as in gotten ‘everything she wanted’. But by doing so, she has come to realization that the aforementioned fantasy is more tantamount to a “nightmare”. Put differently, amidst her success (or perhaps even as a result of it, the singer is still suffering from a considerable degree of depression. This sensation is so strong in fact that she fantasizes about taking her own life. 

And the overall source of this emotion is something to the effect of her believing that no one actually cares for her. And this whole scenario is presented within the context of she coming to these conclusions via a dream.

Someone Cares

But when she comes back to, she realizes that such is not truly the case.  Rather there is one individual, the addressee, who is there for her through thick and thin. This person is presented as someone who has his own issues.  So while acknowledging him as serving as a steady source of support, the singer is also operating along the lines of trying to make him understand his own self-worth and raise his confidence in the process.

And the song progresses based on such a premise. The singer is considerable pressured as a result of her celebrity. More specifically the actions of other individuals, as in the things they say, are having a negative emotional toll on her. But again, she can count on the addressee to hold her down. And it should be noted at this point that Eilish has identified the addressee as her big brother, singer/songwriter Finneas. It should also be stated that Finneas has been an ever-present part of her life and career.

Conclusion

And ultimately Billie concludes by questioning that if she knew she was going to go through such turmoil as a result of becoming famous, would she have still chosen such a path in life?

Two Primary Themes in “Everything I Wanted”

So there are two definitive themes that can be ascertained from “Everything I Wanted”. One is that being a successful singer has indeed been stressful on the young lady, specifically in terms of how negative criticism has affected her. 

And second is that through it all, she appreciates her brother for remaining a steady source of support and encouragement. Moreover considering that Finneas himself is a celebrity, this tune is intended to serve not only as a reflection of how she feels about him but also vice versa.

What Billie Eilish has said about “Everything  I Wanted”

In an interview Eilish had with Annie Mac of BBC Radio 1, she confirmed the song pretty much centers on she and her older brother Finneas. According to Eilish, the song is a tribute to their “relationship as siblings”. In her eyes, she sees her brother (Finneas) as her best friend who will always have her back no matter what.

When did Billie Eilish release “Everything I Wanted”?

Billie (through Darkroom and Interscope Records) released this touching tune on November 14, 2019.

Writing Credits

Billie wrote this heartfelt tune along with Finneas (who also took care of its production).

NOTE: In addition to co-writing and producing this tune, Finneas also sang the backing vocals.

Is there a music video for “Everything I Wanted”?

Yes. Billie and her team released an official music video for this song on the 23rd of January, 2020. Billie and her brother Finneas appear in the video. The entire video was directed by Billie. As of March 2021, the video has over 200 million views on YouTube.

Accolades of “Everything I Wanted”

This song was immensely successful. It hit the number 1 position in the following countries:

• Estonia
• Ireland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Norway

Furthermore, it replicated the same accomplishment on two major Billboard charts in America, namely “Rolling Stone Top 100” and “Rock Airplay”. Also, it was a top 10 hit in the biggest charts in the UK (UK Singles) and the United States (Hot 100). It peaked at positions 3 and 8 respectively in these countries.

Indeed this was one of the biggest songs in 2019 and 2020. It was so huge, it charted in dozens of nations the world over. Below are some of the places where this song reached a top-10 status:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Finland
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Scotland
• Singapore

In addition to the above, this song sold over 3 million copies in Billie’s home country (United States). As of early 2021, it has also sold over half a million copies in the United Kingdom.

Grammy Accolades

“Everything I Wanted” received 3 Grammy nominations at the 2021 Grammys. It was nominated in two of the most important categories: “Record of the Year” (which it won) and “Song of the Year“. It also received another nomination for “Best Pop Solo Performance”.

Billie Eilish’s Relationship with her brother Finneas

Billie Eilish’s performances have featured a constant personality; her brother, Finneas O’Connell. Since the beginning of her career, he either acts as her backup singer or supports her by playing a musical instrument beside her while she performs. He is always in the background when she receives awards and has even received some awards on behalf of Billie.

The two often post each other on their social media platforms and add nice quotes that express their love for themselves. It is only natural that siblings work together on projects. The pair have been typical examples of this natural occurrence.

Finneas had his own music career before he made the decision that it would be worthwhile investing more into his younger sister, after realizing she was over talented. Since then, the pair have been writing and making hit songs together. They have said in many interviews that they made many of Billie’s hit songs in the bedroom of Finneas.

Billie has explained in many interviews that her brother is the closest person to her and is the only person she feels very free to share secrets with. She dedicated her hit song “everything I wanted”, to him.

In the music video of the song, there is a note that describes her brother as her best friend and states that no matter the circumstance; they will always be there for each other. She has insisted that the working relationship she has with her brother will never change at any point in her career. Finneas also admitted that he cares absolutely for the safety of his younger sister. Some fans of his sister have described him as overly protective and over-bearing.