Hostage (song)

"Hostage" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). The singer and her brother Finneas O'Connell co-wrote the song, while the latter solely handled production. The song is a stripped-down pop track. Lyrically, it is an intense love Eilish feels for a male and having an overwhelming desire to possess him.

For the song by Donna Summer, see The Hostage (song). For other songs with the same name, see Hostage (disambiguation).

"Hostage"
Song by Billie Eilish
from the EP Don't Smile at Me
ReleasedAugust 11, 2017
GenrePop
Length3:48
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Finneas
Music video
"Hostage" on YouTube

Upon its release, "Hostage" received positive reviews from music critics, with many liking the lyrics and music. An accompanying music video was released on July 11, 2018, and directed by Henry Scholfield. It takes place in an all-white room, with Eilish and her lover dancing, while wearing all white. "The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Music Canada (MC) in the United States and Canada, respectively. It was performed live by Eilish during her 2019 When We All Fall Asleep Tour.

Background and composition

"Hostage" was included as the eighth and final track on Eilish's debut EP Don't Smile at Me, released on August 11, 2017.[1] The song was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, known under his stage name of Finneas. He was also solely responsible for the song's engineering and production. Mixing was done at The Fortress of Amplitude by Rob Kinelski and mastering was handled by John Greenham.[2] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, "Hostage" is composed in the key of A minor and has a slow tempo of 65 beats per minute (BPM). Eilish's vocals span a range from E4 to G5.[3] Musically, "Hostage" was described as a stripped-down pop track.[4] Lyrically, it begins with Eilish being in a happy relationship: "I wanna be alone. Alone with you, does that make sense?" she harmonizes with Finneas.[5] Then, in the same melancholy tone, she turns possessive towards her lover, and wants them for herself.[6]

Reception and promotion

Writing for Atwood Magazine, Nicole Almeida described the song as "one of the EP's most stripped back moments", and said that it "balances tenderness and affection with lyrics that display an obsessiveness that borders on dangerous". She further compared the song to the "eeriness" of "Bellyache", and the "vulnerability" of "Idontwannabeyouanymore", both of which are from Don't Smile at Me.[7] Katherine Cusumano, writing for W magazine, said the track "strikes [a] balance between human relatability and a bit of a psychotic edge".[5] NME ranked "Hostage" at number 21 on their 'Every single Billie Eilish song ranked in order of greatness' list. The staff hailed the song as "gradually intensifying" and said it was "raw with emotion and dark sentiment".[8] Insider's Claudia Willen noted that it "artfully exposes a battle between complete adoration and problematic obsession". She continued, writing that the song shows Eilish's "willingness to be vulnerable in her music".[6] Jules LeFevre, writing for Junkee magazine, placed the song at number 20 on her Every Billie Eilish Song Ranked From Worst To Best list, saying it was "another cloud".[9]

"Hostage" has been certified platinum in the United States and Canada by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Music Canada (MC), respectively.[10][11] Eilish performed "Hostage" live during her North American 1 by 1 tour in 2018.[12] The track was included on the setlist of Eilish's When We All Fall Asleep Tour (2019).[13]

Music video

Background

A music video for "Hostage" was produced by Henry Scholfield.[14] It was first released exclusively via Apple Music on July 11, 2018.[15] The video was later uploaded to YouTube on October 8, 2018.[16] It was a collaboration between Scholfield, Belgian musician Stromae, Luc Junior Tam, and Eilish.[14] Eilish asked Scholfield, Stromae and Tam to create a room with equal parts that would feel intimate and suffocating.[14] Eilish explained in a statement that it took a while for them to shoot the visual, as a result of issues with schedules and trouble choosing a location to shoot the video.[15] Eilish explained they were originally going to shoot it in Brussels, where Eilish was touring and where Stromae lived.[15] They eventually figured out a plan that involved Stromae and Tam coming up with the idea, while Scholfield would be the director. The group had to rehearse and shoot in different cities during Eilish's tour, with them rehearsing the choreography in Philadelphia before Eilish would go on show with Peacock.[15] A few days later, the group shot the music video in Toronto.[15] Eilish concluded by saying, "at that point, we had cast Devyck in the video and he was just so amazing. We also had a team of amazing dancers working behind the scenes as well as all of the incredible crew and production staff."[15]

Synopsis and reception

The music video is set in an all white room, amplifying the empty isolation the characters are stuck in.[4] The visual starts with a choreographed dance between Eilish and her lover, who are both dressed in all white.[4] Her lover is eventually attacked by ghostly extensions of the clothed wall and ceiling.[4] As Eilish turns to her lover, the walls reach out and pull him in all directions. He starts to suffocate beneath the fabric while he is getting pulled up.[4]

Writing for Complex magazine, Graham Corrigan praised the choreography of the video, saying that "[Eilish] proves she's just as skilled a partner on the dancefloor".[14] Noah Levine, writing for Bloody Disgusting, wrote that the video "conveys strong asylum/hospital vibes", while he stated that Eilish and her lover look as "if they are both wearing modifications of a hospital gown".[4] The music video received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.[17]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Don't Smile at Me.[2]

Charts
2019 year-end chart positions for "Hostage"
Chart (2019) Position
Portugal (AFP)[18] 850

Certifications
Certifications and sales for "Hostage"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[19] Gold 35,000
Canada (Music Canada)[11] Platinum 80,000
Poland (ZPAV)[20] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[10] Platinum 1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Monger, Timothy. "Billie Eilish – Don't Smile at Me". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  2. Don't Smile at Me (booklet). Billie Eilish. Santa Monica, California: Darkroom/Interscope Records. 2019. B0030752-02.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "Billie Eilish 'Hostage' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  4. Levine, Noah (February 28, 2020). "'When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?': Billie Eilish Conjures Up Nightmares With Her Art". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  5. Cusumano, Katherine (August 14, 2017). "Meet Billie Eilish, Pop's Terrifying 15-Year-Old Prodigy". W. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  6. Ahlgrim, Callie; Torres, Libby; Willen, Claudia (March 18, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish song, ranked". Insider. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  7. Almedia, Nicole (February 16, 2018). "Music You Should Know: Confidence & Boldness on Billie Eilish's Debut EP 'Don't Smile at Me'". Atwood Magazine. Archived from the original on March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  8. "Every single Billie Eilish song ranked in order of greatness". NME. July 31, 2020. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  9. LeFevre, Jules (July 28, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish Song Ranked From Worst To Best". Junkee. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  10. "American single certifications – Billie Eilish – Hostage". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 4, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  11. "Canadian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Hostage". Music Canada. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  12. "Billie Eilish Announces North American 1 By 1 Tour". Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  13. Trendell, Andrew (February 12, 2019). "Watch Billie Eilish perform 'Bury A Friend' and 'When I Was Older' live for the first time". NME. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  14. Corrigan, Graham (July 12, 2018). "Watch Billie Eilish's Dramatic Dance Video for 'Hostage'". Complex. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  15. "Billie Eilish Reveals Captivating New Music Video For 'Hostage' Shot In Toronto". Universal Music Group. July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  16. "Billie Eilish – hostage". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  17. Schulman, Alissa (August 26, 2020). "2019 MTV Vma Winners: See The Full List". MTV. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  18. "Top AFP - Audiogest - Top 3000 Singles + EPs Digitais" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  19. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  20. "Polish single certifications – Billie Eilish – Hostage" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  21. "British single certifications – Billie Eilish – Hostage". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
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