Even the biggest pop stars doubt their hits sometimes.
Billie Eilish has revealed she nearly scrapped “Birds of a Feather,” the song that went on to become Spotify’s most-streamed track of 2024, calling it “kind of stupid” during the album’s final stages.
In a candid new Wall Street Journal interview published October 29, the 22-year-old singer said she was unconvinced by the song’s bright tone while working on Hit Me Hard and Soft, her chart-topping 2024 album produced with her brother and long-time collaborator Finneas.
“Multiple times I was like, ‘We should cut this,’” Eilish told WSJ. “Even when I played the whole album for the label, I was like, ‘Guys, this one is kind of stupid.’”
The Hit That Almost Never Happened
“Birds of a Feather” stood out from the rest of Hit Me Hard and Soft — a record otherwise steeped in Eilish’s signature moody minimalism. The song’s soaring, hopeful melody and romantic lyricism made her second-guess its fit within her usual aesthetic.
She recalled wrestling with the line “I’ll love you till the day that I die,” unsure how to deliver something so earnest without losing her dark edge.
“It was far more uplifting than my usual sound,” Eilish said, admitting she and Finneas spent nearly a year trying to make the song click.
But once the record dropped, fans instantly latched onto it. The track became one of Eilish’s biggest-ever global smashes, topping the Billboard Global 200 for three weeks, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and racking up more than 3 billion Spotify streams.
From “Stupid” to Streaming Supremacy
Eilish’s so-called “stupid” song now defines her 2024 pop era.
Its understated sweetness — paired with Eilish’s hushed vocals and Finneas’s lush production — made it the emotional centerpiece of Hit Me Hard and Soft. The official video has surpassed 600 million views on YouTube, while its audio alone has dominated every streaming platform.
“Birds of a Feather” even earned Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance, cementing its status as one of Eilish’s most successful tracks to date.
Balancing Light and Darkness
Eilish also used the WSJ conversation to reflect on her early critics — the ones who once claimed her music was “too sad.”
“It’s so funny to think back on all the criticisms that were like, ‘The songs are too sad,’” she said.
But even within Birds of a Feather, Eilish couldn’t resist weaving in something darker.
“We wrote about the idea that you’re going to die soon, and let’s make it last,” she said. “I slipped something dark in there — so it wasn’t all rainbows and smiles.”
It’s that tension — the balance between warmth and melancholy — that has always defined her artistry. Birds of a Feather might shimmer brighter than her earlier work, but it’s still rooted in Eilish’s bittersweet worldview.
A Lesson in Trusting Instincts
Looking back, the irony isn’t lost on fans or the artist herself. What Eilish once considered a throwaway has become a cultural phenomenon — a reminder that even perfectionists can’t always predict which songs will resonate most deeply.
As one fan put it on X (formerly Twitter):
“Billie calling ‘Birds of a Feather’ stupid while it breaks every streaming record is so real. She’s just like us.”
FAQ Section
1. Why did Billie Eilish almost cut “Birds of a Feather”?
She felt it didn’t fit her usual darker sound and thought the song sounded “kind of stupid,” despite its later success.
2. Who produced “Birds of a Feather”?
The song was produced by Finneas, Billie’s brother and long-time collaborator.
3. How successful was “Birds of a Feather”?
It was Spotify’s most-streamed song of 2024, surpassing 3 billion plays, and earned multiple Grammy nominations.