“Male Fantasy” by Billie Eilish

The term “male fantasy” is only mentioned once in this song. Billie Eilish uses it in reference to pornography and how docile women tend to falsely appear “satisfied” therein. But more to the point is why she is viewing porn in the first place. And that is to ‘distract herself’ from the fact that she’s having relationship problems.

In fact by the looks of things, she and her lover have broken up. However she still has feelings for him. This is not as idealized, and she believes it may be because she has yet to meet another romantic interest to compare him to. But in the meantime, she has gone about ‘convincing herself that she hates him’, in the name of trying to move on.

Meanwhile, the second verse is about a completely different relationship. This is one that the vocalist has with a fellow female who recently reached out to her. Back in the day they were besties. However, as time progressed, they did not get along so well. But Billie is still bothered by their breakup to this day. So she considers the matter just like that of her ex. That is to say that she is compelled to admit that she still loves this person, even as with the days of old. And that may be because she has yet to replace her. 

So once again in the meantime, she has to make herself dislike this person in the name of retaining her sanity, so to speak.

And it is the outro that actually brings the whole situation home sentimentally, making sense of all of the above. For this is where the vocalist confesses that she has every reason to hate her ex-boyfriend and former bestie. But at the end of the day she simply cannot. And as such, she also lacks the ability to completely get over her spoiled relationships with them.

So conclusively, “Male Fantasy” is actually a love song. And it speaks to that type of love that is indestructible, even if the association between the two individuals involved has disintegrated. 

Facts about “Male Fantasy”

This is the final song on the 16-track playlist of the standard edition of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”, an album that Darkroom Records and Interscope Records put out on the date of 30 July 2021.

As with the other songs on “Happier Than Ever”, this one was written by Billie along with her elder sibling and constant musical collaborator, Finneas. And Finneas, being the more instrumental-minded of the two, also produced “Male Fantasy”.

As originally intended, the album’s title track was going to conclude the playlist. Yet Billie Eilish explained that she opted for “Male Fantasy” instead, not wanting to ‘end on an angry note’.