Billie Eilish released her newest single “NDA,” from her sophomore album Happier Than Ever, on Friday (July 9) — along with an eerie self-directed music video. And astonishingly, no visuals or stunt doubles were used.
The video depicts Billie walking alone on a highway in the dark night, with deep synth bass beats and plucky strings to evoke a creepy atmosphere. Occasionally, cars race past her, causing Billie to become distressed. The bass grows even more intense and aggressive during the event of the chorus. At one point, a group of dark shadowy figures follow and stalk behind her. When she looks back, they disappear.
The track itself is quite dark on its own, as it discusses Eilish’s struggles to have a private personal life and a romantic partner due to her fame and the stalkers that sometimes come along with it (“Had to save my money for security”). She goes as far as to get a “pretty boy” she once had interest in to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA); “‘Cause I don’t want him having shit to say,” she sings.
Eilish also doesn’t shy away about how her music career has given her second thoughts: “30 under 30 for another year / I can barely go outside, I think I hate it here / Maybe I should think about a new career / Somewhere in Kauai where I can disappear.”
In a recent episode of New Music Daily on Apple Music, Eilish discussed how proud she is of working on “NDA” and its music video. “It’s definitely one of the coolest videos I’ve ever made in my entire life,” she said. “It was pretty crazy. It’s real.”
Eilish also expressed her belief that everyone should have a right to having a private life. “I respect people’s privacy, I respect the public’s privacy, my fans’ privacy,” she said. “I want them to have their own lives and do their own thing, and then we come together and connect.
Eilish’s previous single from her album, “Lost Cause,” peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release on June 2. Her first three singles — “My Future,” “Therefore I Am,” and “Your Power” — all hit the top 10, with “Therefore I Am” reaching No. 2.
We’ll see how Happier Than Ever fares on the charts when it drops on July 30. In the meantime, see the spooky “NDA” video above.
