Chihiro (song)

Last updated

"Chihiro"
Single by Billie Eilish
from the album Hit Me Hard and Soft
ReleasedJanuary 17, 2025 (2025-01-17)
RecordedApril 2023
Genre
Length5:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Finneas O'Connell
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"Guess"
(2024)		"Chihiro"
(2025)		"Wildflower"
(2025)
Music video
"Chihiro" on YouTube

"Chihiro" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. The third track on her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024), it was released as the album's third single in Italy on January 17, 2025. The song was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the track for Darkroom and Interscope Records.

Contents

Background and release

Billie Eilish (right) and her brother Finneas O'Connell (left) performing in June 2022 BillieEilishO2160622 (43 of 45) (52152970696) (cropped).jpg
Billie Eilish (right) and her brother Finneas O'Connell (left) performing in June 2022

On April 12, 2024, in an interview with Apple Music's presenter Zane Lowe, Eilish teased a 15-second snippet of "Chihiro", which was released on her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024). [1] The song's title is a reference to Chihiro Ogino, the main character of the 2001 Studio Ghibli animated film Spirited Away . [2] In an interview with Angie Martoccio of Rolling Stone , Eilish said: [3]

The song is loosely based off of that movie, which is one of my favorites. It’s kind of from her point of view, mixed with mine. The visuals in that movie are some of the best ever—all that Studio Ghibli shit is unbelievable ... There’s all those visuals of the train in the water after the flood, and it literally looks like an ocean with a train track. I had just watched Spirited Away and [brother-and-frequent-collaborator] Finneas had made that beat. I love that movie. I’ve seen it so many times. [3]

"Chihiro" was written by Eilish and Finneas; the latter also produced the song. [4] It was recorded in Los Angeles, California, United States. [5]

"Chihiro" was previewed with "Lunch" and "L'Amour de Ma Vie" at Coachella 2024. [6] On May 10, 2024, Eilish released a 49-second-long clip of "Chihiro" through Fortnite Festival on the Fortnite Festival channel of the video-sharing platform YouTube because it was confirmed the song would be included as a backing track on the third season of Fortnite Festival. [7] "Chihiro" is the third song on Hit Me Hard and Soft; [8] it was released with the studio album on May 17, 2024, [9] through Darkroom and Interscope Records. [10]

Eilish and Finneas hosted free listening parties prior to the album's release; American Express presented a party on May 15 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and another on May 16 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, in association with Snapchat. [11] On May 15 at the Barclays Center, "Chihiro" garnered some of the evening's most-enthusiastic crowd response. [12]

"Chihiro" was released as a single in Italy on January 16, 2025, through EMI. [13]

Composition and lyrics

"Chihiro" is a mid-tempo song [14] that incorporates elements of techno-house, [15] R&B, [10] and progressive R&B. [16] In the lyrics, Eilish sings of feelings of being lost and found that are reminiscent of the Spirited Away character Ogino Chihiro. [3]

Commercial performance

After the release of Hit Me Hard and Soft on May 17, 2024, "Chihiro" made its debut at number six on the Billboard Global 200 chart. [17] It debuted at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 [18] and at number three on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. [19] Additionally, the song debuted at number seven on the UK Top 10. [20]

A remix named as "MTG Chihiro" by Mulú was initially denied permission for releasing on streaming platforms by Billie Eilish's management, including her brother Finneas. [21] [22] After negotiations, Eilish's team allowed Duda Beat to record the remixed version. [23] It combines the track with Brazilian funk elements and gained significant popularity on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, [24] where it became the soundtrack for the "passinho Chihiro" dance. [25]

Critics' year-end rankings of "Chihiro"
PublicationListRankRef.
Beats Per Minute Top 50 Songs of 202416 [26]
Slant Magazine The 50 Best Songs of 202420 [27]
Vogue The 24 Best Songs of 2024— [28]

Music video

The music video for "Chihiro" was teased on June 5, 2024, when Eilish shared on social media a short video in which she runs down a hallway. It premiered on Eilish's Vevo channel on YouTube at 09:00 Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on June 6. [29] Eilish directed the music video and stars in it alongside Nat Wolff. [30]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Chihiro"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [79] 2× Platinum140,000‡
Belgium (BEA) [80] Platinum40,000‡
Canada (Music Canada) [81] 2× Platinum160,000‡
France (SNEP) [82] Platinum200,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [83] Platinum30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV) [84] Platinum50,000‡
Portugal (AFP) [85] 2× Platinum20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [86] Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [87] Gold400,000‡
United States (RIAA) [88] Platinum1,000,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece) [89] Platinum2,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Chihiro"
RegionDateFormatLabel(s)Ref.
ItalyJanuary 17, 2025 Radio airplay EMI [90]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Li, Joyce (April 15, 2024). "Billie Eilish Previews New Songs at Her Coachella DJ Set". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  2. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (April 12, 2024). "Billie Eilish Teases 'Spirited Away'-Inspired Track Off Upcoming Album". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Prance, Sam (May 21, 2024). "Billie Eilish Explains The Deeper Meaning Behind Her 'Chihiro' Lyrics". Capital . Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  4. ↑ Rossignol, Derrick (May 17, 2024). "Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard And Soft: Here Are The Full Album Credits, Song By Song". Uproxx . Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Billie Eilish - HIT ME HARD AND SOFT Excl. Vinyl". UMG Africa . Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  6. ↑ Rettig, James (April 14, 2024). "Billie Eilish Previews New Songs In Surprise Coachella DJ Set". Stereogum . Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  7. ↑ Ben Rogerson (May 10, 2024). "Billie Eilish has released a 49-second clip of new song Chihiro via Fortnite Festival and it confirms that it's a synth-led electronic banger". MusicRadar . Archived from the original on May 12, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Billie Eilish dominates charts with Hit Me Hard and Soft, a genre-bending exploration (Ed 137)". The Official South African Charts . Recording Industry of South Africa. May 30, 2024. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  9. ↑ Singh, Surej (April 19, 2024). "Check out the tracklist for Billie Eilish's new album 'Hit Me Hard And Soft'". NME . Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Empire, Kitty (May 19, 2024). "Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft review – could have hit even harder". The Observer . Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  11. ↑ Horowitz, Steven J.; Garcia, Thania (May 7, 2024). "Billie Eilish Announces Additional Hit Me Hard and Soft Listening Events Across North America". Variety . Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  12. ↑ Ahlgrim, Callie (May 17, 2024). "Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft is a thrilling return to form for pop's leading weirdo". Business Insider . Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ↑ Vitali, Giacomo (January 13, 2025). "Chihiro – Billie Eilish". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  14. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (May 16, 2024). "Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft review – still the great outlier of American pop". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  15. ↑ Sherman, Maria (May 17, 2024). "Music Review: Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft is zealous outsider pop in a league of her own". Associated Press . Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  16. ↑ Willman, Chris (May 16, 2024). "Billie Eilish Keeps Up Her Winning Streak With the Surprising and Intimate Hit Me Hard and Soft: Album Review". Variety . Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  17. ↑ McIntyre, Hugh. "Billie Eilish Nearly Doubles Her Total Number Of Top 10 Hits On One Chart". Forbes . Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  18. ↑ Zellner, Xander (May 28, 2024). "All 10 Songs From Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft Debut in Hot 100's Top 40". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  19. ↑ Rutherford, Kevin (May 28, 2024). "'Hit' Record: Billie Eilish Reigns on Top Rock & Alternative Charts". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  20. ↑ Brandle, Lars (May 27, 2024). "Billie Eilish Blasts to No. 1 on U.K. Chart With Hit Me Hard And Soft". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  21. ↑ todateen. "MTG Chihiro: entenda origem do remix brasileiro de hit de Billie Eilish". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  22. ↑ Brasil, Billboard (June 20, 2024). "Empresário de Billie Eilish nega autorização para remix 'MTG CHIHIRO' - Billboard Brasil". billboard.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  23. ↑ Bastos, Nicoly. ""Chihiro", de Billie Eilish, ganha versão "abrasileirada" na voz de Duda Beat". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Remix de Billie Eilish com funk cresce nas paradas do Brasil em versão 'roubada', diz produtor | Música". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 24, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  25. ↑ "A curiosa versão que Billie Eilish autorizou Duda Beat gravar em MTG | O Som e a Fúria". VEJA (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Top 50 Songs of 2024". Beats Per Minute . December 17, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  27. ↑ "The 50 Best Songs of 2024". Slant Magazine . December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  28. ↑ "The 24 Best Songs of 2024, According to Vogue Editors". Vogue . December 24, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  29. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (June 5, 2024). "Billie Eilish Teases 'Chihiro' Music Video". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  30. ↑ Dailey, Hannah (June 6, 2024). "Watch Billie Eilish Wrestle With Nat Wolff in Feverish 'Chihiro' Music Video". Billboard . Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chart History (Argentina Hot 100)" Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Singles for Billie Eilish. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  35. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Billie Eilish Chart History (Brasil Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  37. ↑ "Billie Eilish Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Billie Eilish Chart History (Croatia Songs)". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  39. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 21. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro". Tracklisten. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  41. ↑ "Billie Eilish: Chihiro" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Billie Eilish – Chihiro" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  44. ↑ "Billie Eilish Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
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  82. ↑ "French single certifications – Billie Eilish – Chihiro" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  83. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Billie Eilish – Chihiro". Radioscope. Retrieved January 9, 2025.Type Chihiro in the "Search:" field.
  84. ↑ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 9, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Chihiro in the search box.
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  88. ↑ "American single certifications – Billie Eilish – Chihiro". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  89. ↑ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 44/2024" (in Greek). IFPI Greece . Retrieved November 6, 2024.
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