"Lovely" is a song by American singersBillie Eilish andKhalid. Darkroom andInterscope Records released it as the leadsingle from theNetflix drama series13 Reasons Why's second season soundtrack. The artists wrote the song with Eilish's brother and producerFinneas O'Connell. The song has been described as achamber 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 EPDon't Smile at Me.
Upon its release, "Lovely" received widespread critical acclaim frommusic critics. The song reached number 64 on the USBillboardHot 100 chart and peaked within the top 40 in several other countries. "Lovely" has been awarded severalcertifications, including twelve times platinum by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The track was accompanied by a music video released on April 26, 2018, depicting Eilish and Khalid walking around a glass case, interacting with each other, and trying to overcome their depression. Eilish included the track on the setlists of her 2019When We All Fall Asleep Tour and her 2020Where Do We Go? World Tour.
Critical commentary described "Lovely" as achamber pop-based stripped backballad.[4][8][9][10][11] According to sheet music published byUniversal Music Publishing Group at Musicnotes.com, it is written in the key ofE minor with a moderately fast tempo of 115 beats per minute; its chord progression follows a basic sequence of Cmaj7–Em–Bm.[12] The track features minimalist production that consists ofpiano,violin strings provided by Madison Leinster, and percussion.[10][11][13] Eilish explained about working with Khalid and how the track was created to Zane Lowe: "One thing that I’ll say is that when we wrote this song, what was cool about it was that it wasn’t like we’re going to the studio and going to write a hit. He just came over and we hung out. Me and my brother hung out with Khalid in our house and it was literally this is us hanging out as friends and we ended up writing a song."[4]
Claudia Willen ofInsider describes "Lovely" as beginning with "Khalid's voice echoing Eilish's vocals." The pair "come together to harmonize in the chorus, singing about the feeling of being trapped inside of one's own mind".[14] The duo sings in a melancholic tone.[10][15] The song becomes more dramatic as the pair move into the chorus, as Eilish sings: "Isn't it lovely, all alone?/Heart made of glass, my mind of stone/Tear me to pieces, skin to bone/Hello, welcome home."[4] Eilish and Khalid's voices sound hopeless as the song is coming to an end. "But I know someday I'll make it out of here/Even if it takes all night or a hundred years/Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near/Wanna feel alive, outside I can fight my fear", as backdrop piano and two chord strings accompany the lyrics.[16]
"Lovely" was met with widespread critical acclaim. Jon Blistein writing forRolling Stone magazine called "Lovely" a "smoldering ballad".[11]The Times' Raisa Bruner described the song as "somber" and "haunting", writing "[there] [is] little to celebrate in the dark, brooding lyrics, but still 'Lovely' finds beautiful sounds in that pained place".[10] Mike Nied ofIdolator commended the production, describing the strings as "heartrending" and the production "atmospheric".[4] Robin Murray writing forClash described the track as an "internet-shattering single", and a "bold, defiant gesture".[17] TheEvening Standard's David Smyth described Eilish's and Khalid's vocals in "Lovely" as a "grandiose duet".[18]
Graham Corrigan writing forComplex magazine praised the song as an "intensely dramatic offering", and described Eilish's vocals as "smoky" acting "as quicksand, dragging the listener down to a dark place". He described Khalid's vocals as an "interesting counterpoint" to Eilish's.[19]Variance's Tyler Schmitt called "Lovely" a track that "lives up to its name".[5]NME's Hannah Mylrea called the song one of the best from the official soundtrack for the second season of13 Reasons Why, saying, it has "lush strings", "interweaving vocals", and a "sizzling duet is properly gorgeous".[20]Earmilk's Tanis Smither was similarly positive, saying "Lovely" is "dramatic and orchestral, with "heart-wrenching strings".[13] Adrien Begrand fromPopMatters affirmed the song shows Eilish's maturity "that makes the listener forget just how young she is".[21]
Consequence of Sound ranked "Lovely" at number 15 on their list of 2018's best songs. Lake Schatz remarked that "Lovely" was "one of the most fragile offerings of [2018]", and comments that the song "showcases [Eilish's] versatility as an artist".[22] The song placed at number four onBillboard's All 27 of Khalid's Collaborations, Ranked: Critic's Picks list, with the staff calling the song "beautiful" and "sorrowful".[23] "Lovely" ranked at number 17 on Australia'sTriple J's Hottest 100.[24]
"Lovely" first entered theBubbling Under Hot 100 chart at number two on May 4, 2018.[25] The track rose to number 64 on the USBillboard Hot 100 chart on January 25, 2019.[26] Following the release of Eilish's debut studio albumWhen We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, "Lovely" re-entered the chart at number 85. At the same time, Eilish broke the record for the most simultaneous Hot 100 entries for a female artist.[27] "Lovely" received a diamond certification from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which denotes track-equivalent sales of ten million units based on sales and streams.[28]
In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number 47 on theUK Singles Chart—Eilish's first song to chart in the UK.[29][30] It received triple-platinum certification from theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI), which denotes track-equivalent sales of 1,800,000 units.[31] "Lovely" peaked at number 46 on theCanadian Hot 100 and received diamond certification byMusic Canada (MC).[32][33] It was more commercially successful in Australia, peaking at number five on theARIA Charts.[34] It received a 13× certification by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which denotes track-equivalent sales of 910,000 units based on sales and streams.[35]
Taylor Cohen and Matty Peacock directed the music video for "Lovely".[36] It was uploaded to Eilish's officialYouTube channel on April 26, 2018.[37][38][39] The video opens with Eilish trapped inside a crystalline box.[40] Khalid then appears out of thin air behind her, wearing matching black threads and silver chains as he sings with her.[38][41] Eilish and Khalid start to wander wearily around the box. A single rain cloud then unleashes rain and thunder.[42][43] The singers sometimes separate, but manage to find their way back to each other.[41] The rain from the cloud begins to freeze in the box and ice covers the walls as Khalid and Eilish hold each other. But as the video moves towards its end, the ice melts to reveal the box is empty.[42] Eilish created the video's concept wanting to portray the feeling of being hopelessly trapped with another person.[39][44]
The music video was positively received by critics. Blistein called the visual a "simple yet striking", while Nied said it was a "captivating spectacle complete with brilliant special effects that capture the severity of their situation".[40][42] Chantilly Post writing forHotNewHipHop described that the video is "simple and striking at the same time".[41] Madeline Roth ofMTV said, "the visual is undeniably somber, but they at least seem to find some comfort in one another".[38] Melissa Litterello of Soundigest called the visual "incredible", saying that her "eyes were glued throughout to see what would happen next" and said it was "definitely entertaining to watch".[45]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 24. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 24. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
