Grade: 4.5/5.0

Billie Eilish doesn’t have anything to prove.

For the last few years, the spunky 18-year-old has been breaking headlines and smashing records as a queen of sad electropop. Known for her whispery vocals, wistful songwriting and down-to-earth personality, Eilish first garnered attention at just 14 years old with her mournful SoundCloud hit “Ocean Eyes.” Fast forward to early 2020, when Eilish took home an impressive five Grammy Awards for 2019’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Since her debut, Eilish has released three singles — “Everything I Wanted,” “No Time To Die” and now “My Future.”

“When you’re in that alone zone, it’s a new feeling,” Eilish expressed in an interview with NME Magazine about her new single. “Everything is about love … there’s nothing that talks about how being alone is really powerful and you grow a lot.”

Written a month into quarantine, “My Future” is a sincere self-reflection and oneiric statement of growth. The song begins slow and stripped; Eilish’s low, whispering voice ripples over subdued piano notes with stunning clarity. The attenuated instrumentation evokes a sense of loneliness, but it’s more thoughtful than sorrowful. While many of Eilish’s slower songs generally express melancholy, “My Future” proves to be delightfully optimistic.

The following pre-chorus enables Eilish to demonstrate her eminent voice control, and its lilting line “Can’t you hear me?/ I’m not comin’ home” is the first hint of a memorable melody. It builds up to the soothing chorus, in which Eilish enchantingly croons “ ’Cause I, I’m in love/ With my future/ Can’t wait to meet her.” Though “My Future” might not be the most original song thematically, the artist’s authenticity as she sings these lyrics is nevertheless endearing.

A major highlight of “My Future” takes place during the transition from the chorus to the second verse — just as listeners expect the song to fall back into the soft lull of the first verse, a beat suddenly kicks in and shifts the song from lo-fi to upbeat. With refreshing percussion and gentle guitar, the smooth second half of the song maintains a hopeful spirit.

While perhaps not quite as defiant as Don’t Smile at Me, Eilish’s latest single preserves an ambition and confidence that’s reminiscent of her previous works. She manages to be bold but modest with “My Future” — it’s effortlessly confident without being narcissistic. In this way, she looks not only to her promising future but also subtly nods to her past.

Eilish isn’t trying to be the “might seduce your dad type” on “My Future” — she’s merely genuine, and that’s enough. As an honest love letter to the personification of her future, it’s refreshing for the modest star to finally embrace her self-worth.

Though Eilish’s latest music might not be as intense as the electronic riffs of “Bad Guy” or as unconventional as “Bury a Friend,” she remains as dynamic as ever. Eilish knows her strengths, and based on her latest single, it’s clear why she’s looking forward to her future.