2020s

Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles’

Happier Than Ever Soundtrack - Every Song in the Disney+ Billie Eilish Special

The Happier Than Ever soundtrack features original music from Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell. This info article contains spoilers and song details for the 2021 Disney+ concert special. Visit the Soundtracks of Cinema section for more music guides.

Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles takes place at the Hollywood Bowl in California. American musician Billie Eilish performs songs from her 2021 album Happier Than Ever, and receives musical assistance from her producer/sibling Finneas, the LA Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Acclaimed filmmaker Robert Rodriguez directed the concert film, in collaboration with Oscar winner Patrick Osborne. Over the course of 65 minutes, Eilish and company mix live performances with live-action animation. Here’s every featured song in Happier Than Ever on Disney+.

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Happier Than Ever Soundtrack: Every Song in the 2021 Disney+ Special

Happier Than Ever Soundtrack - Every Song in the Disney+ Billie Eilish Special

  • “Getting Older” (00:01): The Happier Than Ever soundtrack song begins with an animated Los Angeles coastline sequence. Rodriguez transitions to the first stage performance with the lyric “Too bad they’re usually deranged.” Cinematographer Pablo Berron frames Eilish in wide shots, with the light blue color aesthetic providing a warm and intimate feel.
  • “I Didn’t Change My Number” (00:05): Rodriguez and company shift to a red color palette. Eilish stares at the camera while singing “You’re obsessed.” Finneas receives a few close-ups while his sister plays the femme fatale.
  • “Billie Bossa Nova” (00:08): Billie thanks Duhamel and the LA Philharmonic before introducing the Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo. The filmmakers include several close-up visuals of the guest musicians, along with some excellent depth-of-field shots featuring Duhamel’s shadow. The Happier Than Ever soundtrack song establishes a chill tone for the Disney+ special.
  • “My Future” (00:11): An animated version of Eilish gazes at the Los Angeles skyline from atop the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. The scene transitions back to the singer on stage after the lyric “I’m just a mirror.” Aesthetically, the filmmakers utilize a traditional spotlight, and then incorporate a warmer palette as the music picks up.
  • “Oxytocin” (00:15): Red strobe lights create a night club feel. Rodriguez provides a close-up visual of Eilish when she sings “I wanna do bad things to you.” It’s arguably the most cinematic sequence in the special.
  • “Goldwing” (00:20): Eilish performs with a Los Angeles choir that she sang with years prior — “a full circle moment.” The filmmakers use natural lighting, which allows for a traditional live outdoor concert vibe. Several pan shots also provide different views of the venue as Eilish sings the Happier Than Ever soundtrack song.
  • “Lost Cause” (00:23): An orange glow throughout the Hollywood Bowl creates a stadium atmosphere. Animated Billie cruises throughout Hollywood. The filmmakers include a brief sky shot when the pacing picks up, but they mostly stay focused on close-ups of Eilish.
  • “Halley’s Comet” (00:27): Another day performance, or at least one with traditional lighting. Rodriguez keeps the camera tight on Eilish’s face, and includes a slick overhead shot of Finneas at the piano.
  • “Not My Responsibility” (00:31): To begin, this is mostly an aesthetic continuation of the previous sequence. Rodriguez then shifts to stylish medium shots and a grainy, retro-style filter. It’s a brief sequence that creates a dream-like feel for the Happier Than Ever soundtrack song production.
  • “Overheated” (00:35): Another stand-out sequence that positions Eilish as a movie character walking towards the audience. Due to the black-and-red animation, it’s not hard to imagine Spaghetti Western music playing over the song’s cinematic prelude. Eilish appears as a faceless figure, a woman who speaks about being objectified. The stage performance itself mixes shades of red with lots of smoke.
  • “Everybody Dies” (00:38): Duhamel leads the LA Philharmonic. The filmmakers utilize various shades of intimate blue to complement the dark lyrics. Overall, the visuals create an elegant and somewhat gothic vibe.
  • “Your Power” (00:43): The camera pulls back on a wide shot of the L.A. cityscapes. Viewers arrive once again at the Hollywood Bowl, with Eilish seated next to her brother, Finneas. The siblings perform the Happier Than Ever soundtrack song in the very back of the venue.
  • “NDA” (00:47): After Animated Billie avoids the paparazzi, a slick tracking shot pans around the focal musician. Here, Rodiguez and Osborne intercut the performance with various close-ups of Eilish, and also time a spotlight to bounce back and forth with the beat.
  • “Therefore I Am” (00:50): The beat continues from the previous song. There’s a solid amount of horns in this sequence, along with some excelling staging as Eilish sings to the camera and Dudamel rocks out in the opposite direction. It’s an up-an-close performance of the Happier Than Ever soundtrack song.
  • “Happier Than Ever” (00:53): Eilish takes a seat, center stage. A spotlight shines down on the singer, which makes it seem like a final act moment in a traditional feature film. The title song ramps up, and the filmmakers shoot the singer from below at times, giving the sequence an epic stadium rock quality.
  • “Male Fantasy” (00:59): Eilish thanks the audience and her collaborators. She performs alongside her brother Finneas, with the filmmakers once again using blues for a intimate feel. Happier Than Ever ends with the Hollywood Bowl lights transforming into a wide shot of nighttime Los Angeles. 

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.