While it's easy to slap a word like "defiant" onto an album, it's harder for a record to actually earn such a moniker. Still, Billie Eilish does this with what seems like ease. The title track, despite being the penultimate song on the album, anchors this record as defiantly proud of itself, of Eilish, and of her progression as both a human and an artist.
"Happier Than Ever" was first teased in Eilish's documentary, "The World's A Little Blurry," per Genius, and it holds up to its hype well. This cathartic track sees Eilish singing about being happy once she's away from someone. This type of realization is important for one's own mental health, and this song has Eilish learning that her sanity is worth preserving over any relationship that's simply not working.
The track is specific and personal, too. In the third verse, for example, she sings, "You were my everything / And all that you did was make me f*****g sad / So don't waste the time I don't have / And don't try to make me feel bad," before singing, "I could talk about every time that you showed up on time / But I'd have an empty line 'cause you never did / Never paid any mind to my mother or friends, so I / shut 'em all out for you 'cause I was a kid," via Genius.
This song proves without a doubt that Eilish is here to better herself, her mental health, her interpersonal relationships, and, really, all aspects of her life. This song is a testament to what the entire album represents and is thus a great pick for the album title.
