SKINNY

Billie Eilish's song 'SKINNY' explores themes of self-image, public perception, and authenticity. The lyrics begin with the artist reflecting on her first experience of love, which seems to be a positive point, but this experience is surrounded by social pressures, which causes the singer strangeness and a certain feeling of anxiety. Thus, the lyrics quickly unfold into a critique of the way external changes, such as weight loss, are perceived by others.

Billie uses her own experience to discuss how appearances can be deceptive. The phrase “People say I look happy, just because I got skinny” suggests a criticism of society which often associates thinness with happiness or success, ignoring the complexity of human feelings. The fact is that bodies, weights, and measurements are not criteria for identifying a happy or sad person: on the contrary, the artist reaffirms her identity, declaring that, despite the physical changes, she is still the same person as when she was the target of criticism, valuing her essence above her physical appearance and social standards.

The song also addresses the pressure and scrutiny that comes with fame. The lines “When I step off the stage, I'm a bird in a cage, I'm a dog in a dog pound” illustrate the loss of freedom experienced by celebrities, where every action is meticulously analyzed by the public and the media. These excerpts also tell us a little about the moment in which the song was possibly written: it was the end of the Happier Than Ever album tour, and this departure from the stage - a place in the public eye and the center of attention - contrasts with the feeling of imprisonment mentioned by Billie.

Finally, Eilish expresses the pain and frustration of being misunderstood and social media users' constant need to undermine trust and attack any celebrity who doesn't fit a certain standard expected by the public. The line “Hungry for the meanest kind of funny and somebody's gotta feed it” also reinforces the idea that the artist's body has always been the target of derogatory comments and they don't go unnoticed by her, even if they are masked in the form of funny comments, not attacks.

Overall, this track is an emotional plea for understanding and empathy, highlighting the internal struggle behind the public persona, a theme also present in other songs by the artist.