"Lunch" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Billie Eilish | ||||
from the album Hit Me Hard and Soft | ||||
Written | October 2022 – 2023 [a] | |||
Released | May 17, 2024 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:00 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Finneas | |||
Billie Eilish singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Lunch" on YouTube |
"Lunch" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the lead single from her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024). It was released on May 17, 2024. The song features a heavy bassline and lyrics that detail Eilish's same-sex sexual attraction, following her public confirmation that she liked both men and women. In the lyrics, which she wrote after realizing that she wanted to try cunnilingus, she describes that desire (and her general sexual appetite), saying she "could eat that girl for lunch".
Speculation around Eilish's sexual orientation began when she released the music video for the single "Lost Cause" in 2021. [2] The video features Eilish in a slumber party with several women, doing various activities such as twerking, [3] playing Twister, [4] and spraying silly string. [5] Many fans and media outlets saw the video as homoerotic, [6] while others accused her of queerbaiting. [7] In response, Eilish posted behind-the-scenes pictures from the video on Instagram with the caption "I love girls". [8]
In November 2023, Eilish appeared for a Variety cover story, in which she discussed her relationship to sexuality and womanhood, as well as her frustration with people speculating on her sexual orientation. She said that she had always felt an emotional attraction to women alongside physical attraction, admitting that she can be overawed with women she found beautiful. [9] A month later, during a red carpet for the magazine's "Hitmakers" event, a reporter asked Eilish if her comments during her interview were meant as a coming out statement, to which she said that it was not the intention and that she thought her sexual orientation was already obvious. [10] When the event concluded, she took to Instagram to criticize the reporter for their question, accusing them of outing her and confirming she liked both men and women. [11]
During a 2024 Rolling Stone interview, Eilish spoke more about her sexual orientation while discussing her upcoming third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024), and her creative process behind one of its songs. She said that writing "Lunch" helped her explore and confirm her same-gender attraction. [12] She created "Lunch" before her first sexual encounter with a woman and completed the song thereafter, fueled by the realization that she "wanted [her] face in a vagina". [13]
The song has been described as electro, [14] synth-rock, [15] synth-pop, [16] and post-punk. [17] Set over a heavy bassline, the song discusses Eilish's strong sexual desire for a woman and compares sex with her to eating lunch. [18] In the chorus, she describes how the woman tastes as she "dances on [Eilish's] tongue" and calls the experience irresistible. [19] Allison Hope of CNN called the songwriting bold, comparing the provocative nature to activist Marsha P. Johnson's involvement at the 1969 Stonewall Inn riots in New York City. [20]
Eilish debuted "Lunch" alongside two other songs from Hit Me Hard and Soft during a secret DJ set and party at Coachella 2024, called "Do Labs". [21] [22] [23] It is the second track on the album, released on May 17, 2024. [24] "Lunch" is the lead single from the album, released concurrently with the album's release. [25] The song was released to contemporary hit radio in the United States, [26] while Universal Music Group promoted it on radio airplay in Italy. [27] The music video for "Lunch", directed by Eilish, premiered via her Vevo channel on YouTube twelve hours after the song's and album's release. [28]
Some music critics opined that "Lunch" is one of the best songs from the album. Kitty Empire from The Observer wrote the song as "a Sapphic synth-pop banger in which Eilish smacks her lips, wanting to devour someone tasty. Even better, towards the end of the song, the Eilish siblings pull out some of their most dancefloor-facing music to date. It ends too soon, on some panting". [16]
Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Billboard | The 100 Best Songs of 2024 | 39 | [29] |
DIY | The Best Songs of 2024 | 17 | [30] |
Still Listening | The 50 Best Songs of 2024 | 15 | [31] |
The Guardian | The 20 Best Songs of 2024 | 5 | [32] |
The video self-directed by Eilish has her dancing around dressed in stereotypical hip-hop clothes of young male rappers, mostly in new era/green/red and yellow plaid hats, a Supreme basketball jerseys, a blue and red striped shirt with striped/jean shorts fashions of the 1990s to add to the irony of the song.
Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Las Culturistas Culture Awards | Best Lunch | Nominated | [33] |
MTV Video Music Awards | Video of the Year | Nominated | [34] | |
Weekly charts | Monthly charts
Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Austria (IFPI Austria) [118] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [119] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [120] | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [121] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [122] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [123] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [124] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [125] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [126] | Platinum | 10,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [127] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [128] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [129] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [130] | Platinum | 2,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Canada | May 17, 2024 | Radio airplay | [131] | |
Italy | Universal | [27] | ||
United States | Contemporary hit radio |
| [26] |
"Ocean Eyes" is a single by American singer Billie Eilish and was released as the lead single from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me, and the soundtrack album to the film Everything, Everything (2018). The song was written and produced by Eilish's older brother, Finneas O'Connell, and was originally written for his band. Finneas gave the song to Eilish for her dance performance after realizing the song suited her vocals. It was originally released on SoundCloud on November 18, 2015, but was later re-released commercially on November 18, 2016, as a single through Darkroom and Interscope Records.
"Lovely" is a song by American singers Billie Eilish and Khalid. Darkroom and Interscope Records released it as the lead single from the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why's second season soundtrack. The artists wrote the song with Eilish's brother and producer Finneas O'Connell. The song has been described as a chamber pop ballad whose lyrics recount Eilish and Khalid trying to overcome serious depression together. The song also appears on the expanded version of Eilish's EP Don't Smile at Me.
"You Should See Me in a Crown" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the lead single of her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on July 18, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the track. The song received positive reviews and charted in countries including the US, Canada and Australia.
"When the Party's Over" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the second single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on October 17, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It was written and produced by Finneas O'Connell.
American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish has released 3 studio albums, 1 live album, 1 video album, 2 extended plays (EPs), 35 singles, 1 promotional single, and 30 music videos. According to RIAA, she has sold 45.5 million digital singles and 5 million albums. IFPI crowned "Bad Guy" as 2019's biggest selling single globally, selling 19.5 million units in a year span. Eilish is regarded by various media outlets as the "Queen of Gen-Z Pop". At age 17, she became the youngest female artist in UK chart history to score a number-one album. As of October 2021, Eilish has accumulated 76.7 billion career streams worldwide. According to IFPI, Eilish was the 4th best-selling artist of 2019 and 5th best-selling artist of 2020.
"Idontwannabeyouanymore" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, co-wrote the song, with the latter solely handling the production. It was released through Darkroom and Interscope Records on July 21, 2017, as the fifth single from the EP. Musically, the song is pop and R&B track with a jazz and neo soul-influenced melody, that was heavily inspired by Eilish being depressed.
"Come Out and Play" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It was released for digital download and streaming as a single on November 20, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, her brother Finneas O'Connell. A lullaby-influenced midtempo pop ballad, Eilish's lyrics within the song address several topics, including her attempting to beg a friend to no longer hide away. The song was released alongside a festive commercial for technology company Apple, for which it is used as the soundtrack. Eilish included the song in the Japanese edition of her debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019).
"Bury a Friend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the third single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on January 30, 2019, and serviced to US alternative radio stations on February 19, 2019, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. The song was described as synth-pop, electronica, electropop and industrial in press reviews, for which hip hop beats, percussion, and a synthesizer provide minimalist instrumentation. Within the dark and violent lyrics, Eilish sings from the perspective of a monster under someone's bed. Her vocals are subtle and treated with layers of vocal effects. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, Finneas O'Connell.
"Bad Guy" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the fifth single from her first studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on March 29, 2019, by Darkroom and Interscope Records. The song was described by media as electropop, dance-pop, and trap-pop with minimalist instrumentation. In the lyrics, Eilish taunts someone for being tough while suggesting that she is a more resilient bad guy than he is. Eilish wrote "Bad Guy" with its producer Finneas O'Connell. Another version of the song, a collaboration with the Canadian singer Justin Bieber, was released on July 11, 2019.
"Wish You Were Gay" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the fourth single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on March 4, 2019, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Eilish wrote "Wish You Were Gay" with its producer, her brother Finneas O'Connell, when she was 14 years old. A classic pop song, it incorporates an acoustic guitar, a sound of cracking knuckles as percussion, canned laughter, and applause from an audience. In the lyrics, she seeks a reason for why a male love interest does not like her back; she hopes that he may be attracted only to men.
"Everything I Wanted" is a song by American singer and songwriter Billie Eilish, and co-written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced it. Darkroom and Interscope Records released the track as a standalone single on November 15, 2019, and later added it to the deluxe edition of Eilish's debut studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) in December that year. It is a house and electronica-influenced pop and alternative pop track with minimal piano and downtempo bass guitar instrumentation. Inspired by a nightmare she experienced, the song is about Eilish's strong relationship with O'Connell and his protectiveness of her from harm.
"No Time to Die" is the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name. Performed by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and written by Eilish and her brother and collaborator, Finneas O'Connell, the song features orchestration by Hans Zimmer and was produced by Finneas O'Connell and Stephen Lipson. It was released through Darkroom and Interscope Records on February 13, 2020. Only 17 years old at the time of recording, Eilish is the youngest artist to have recorded a James Bond theme in the history of the franchise.
"Ilomilo" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the seventh, and final single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). The song was released to Italian contemporary hit radio stations on April 10, 2020, by Universal Music Group, and to US alternative radio on May 26, 2020, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Musically an electropop, electronic, and industrial track with ska-influenced instrumentation, the song was heavily inspired by the puzzle video game of the same name. The track also references "Bury a Friend", its predecessor on the album track list. Eilish wrote the song with her producer, Finneas O'Connell.
"Therefore I Am" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the second single from her second studio album, Happier Than Ever (2021). It was released on November 12, 2020, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It is an uptempo, hip hop-influenced pop, dark pop, R&B, and electropop track. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, Finneas O'Connell.
"Happier Than Ever" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish from her 2021 second studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's sixth single on July 30, 2021, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. A pop-punk and emo song, it is about Eilish's anger towards a former partner due to a toxic relationship. It opens with soft vocals backed by classical and bass guitars before it transitions into a more distorted sound. She wrote the song with its producer, Finneas O'Connell, after completing the American leg of her When We All Fall Asleep Tour (2019).
Hit Me Hard and Soft is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, released on May 17, 2024, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It is her first full-length studio album release since 2021's Happier Than Ever. Eilish co-wrote Hit Me Hard and Soft with her brother and frequent collaborator Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the album. Stylistically, it has been labeled as an alt-pop and bedroom pop album.
"Blue" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the closer from her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024). It was released on May 17, 2024. This song is a mix of two of Eilish's unreleased songs: Born Blue and True Blue.
"L'Amour de Ma Vie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish from her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft, released through Darkroom and Interscope Records on May 17, 2024. Written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the track, it is a breakup song composed of two distinct parts. It begins as a jazz and soft rock tune supported by guitar and singing style compared to Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, before transitioning to an electronic section based on club beats, 1980s synths and Auto Tuned vocals.
"Chihiro" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. The song is the first promotional single and the third track on her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft. The song was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the track, which was released on May 17, 2024, through Darkroom and Interscope Records.
"Birds of a Feather" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It impacted US contemporary hit radio on July 2, 2024, as the second single from her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. The song explores themes of deep love and a desire for lasting connection. "Birds of a Feather" has charted at number one in Australia, Iceland, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore as well as within the top five in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, the Middle East and North Africa, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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