To be very uncomfortable with 17 year old Billie Eilish's Bad Guy video?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Am I being an old gimmer?

It makes me deeply uncomfortable because she's not legally an adult, and I'm pretty certain the production team around her are all adults, possibly with the exception of an intern or two. Most of the men you can see in the video are.

It feels very exploitative. I don't know much about this singer, but a quick google shows she is open about mental health issues, so possibly quite vulnerable in a way, and then she's singing about bruises on her knees and rough sex, seducing dads (who are obviously going to be adult men!) and she's only 17 years old.

I'll be honest, I would have thought in 2019 this wouldn't be legal until the singer is 18 - or at least frowned upon by the industry as not acceptable? Not that it is magically better when someone turns 18 but the whole attitude seems very dated?

Since when was pop music about making middle aged women comfortable?

I think you are missing the point.

It's about mainstream culture happily absorbing norms of underage girls being sexually exploited by older men without anyone batting an eye, in 2019. I thought those days were behind us, frankly.

The power imbalance is too great. Only if you can't see a 17 year old girl as anything other than a victim, vulnerable, incapable of having any control over her own destiny!

Good for her singing about how she doesn't take any crap from all the 'bad' guys.

How does that work exactly when she has blood coming from her nose, blood dripping on her shoes and bruised knees?

It's about mainstream culture happily absorbing norms of underage girls being sexually exploited by older men without anyone batting an eye, in 2019. I thought those days were behind us, frankly.

tbh I think those days are very much ahead of us.

It's an awesome tune though...

But the song isn't about her being exploited. It's about her being the exploiter. I don't think you should really comment on her situation if you can't interpret song lyrics.

If I know anything about Billie she is a very intelligent perfomer and it's likely a satire and intended to make everyone feel uncomfortable, that's literally what she does.

Yanbu. I don't know why music has to be so crude these days. I get sex sells, I think in the public eye with lots of young fans you should have a duty of care.

Completely agree @MargoLovebutter. Miley Cyrus gives me far more cause for concern.

It's about mainstream culture happily absorbing norms

Her music is all about challenging norms. Sorry this has gone over your head, OP. Better stick to your Dido CDs.

I hate this song and consider it dangerous moral terpitude, a slippery slope etc. 11 year old DD loves it.

I expect this is how things are supposed to work.

I think pop music is a lot less crude and much more middle of the road these days. Have you all been under a rock for the last 40 years? And it's very easy to avoid watching music videos at all.

I felt so much happier about life when I watched Cori Gauff beat Venus Williams. Amazing young woman. This however is a depressing video. I really hope my young son doesn't watch it too - what does this tell young boys about the men they should be.

Only if you can't see a 17 year old girl as anything other than a victim, vulnerable, incapable of having any control over her own destiny!

I think it's interesting that you're sneering at the idea of somebody being a victim, or vulnerable.

I don't see vulnerability as some kind of moral failing. And if someone is assaulted or exploited, I don't see them being a victim as an insult.

Of course there will be 17 year olds out there who are very assertive, self-assured and sophisticated (at least outwardly) who believe they are fully grown up mature adults. I suppose I do not believe that anyone is fully emotionally mature at 17. I think there are far more 17 year olds who are finding their feet in terms of who they are, including their own sexual identity, and I don't see it as a good thing that rough sex with face slapping and bruising is being normalised into 'entry level sex' for young women.

I loathe the portrayal of females in a lot of pop culture AbsentmindedWoman. Blurred Lines nearly caused me to burst a blood vessel. Every video by a male pop artist that has the blokes fully dressed and women / girls cavorting around semi-clad does my head in and the charts are full of that shit.

The Bad Guy track by Billie Eilish on the other hand makes me think of independent minded women, not taking crap from anyone.

Pop music has never existed to make middle aged women comfortable. They're expressing their feelings, at this time. Having read an interview with her in the Sunday Times (natch), she knows exactly what she wants and what she's doing. Good on her.

I know my parents were slightly traumatised when i went to see Nirvana etc, as theirs were when they saw the Beetles or whoever it was then.

The song is about the guy who thinks he's got the power and shes openly mocking him(im the bad guy, duh!)

But the song isn't about her being exploited. It's about her being the exploiter. I don't think you should really comment on her situation if you can't interpret song lyrics.

She is 17 years old, and she is complying with a current expectation that women should be voraciously hungry for porn type sex. She is fulfilling a male fantasy of a young girl who absolutely loves giving blow jobs. I don't think anyone should be listening to this song without asking themselves who it is really benefitting.

“Interpret song lyrics” get a grip it’s not fucking Shakespeare. It’s not original either, musically or in terms of the porny imagery.
Still waiting for this generation to produce any music worth engaging with. Think it’s going to be a long wait.

I'm so glad i'm old, the music and the video were absolute shite. But yes it did appear exploitative and I felt uncomfortable.

What is the business about blow jobs? Where is that implied or mentioned?

It’s benefiting her. It’s making her rich while cocking a snook at would be exploitative older men.

Plus the boys don't need to do it.
As far as Miley Cyrus is concerned, she built up her shock tactics, it looks like Billie Eilish will progress to similar extremes in time, take Rihanna started off tame before expressing herself to sado masochism in her videos.
It is sexism and exploration for fame.

more of the pornification of mainstream culture and extending it to young girls. disgusting. don't really care how old fashioned that makes me seem

Agree with this 100%. It's now so pervasive that two young people think that these sort of lyrics are normal and okay? It is sheer exploitation, and the industry chief ps can p to Billy and her brother and say 'It was all their idea'

@starzig no, don’t be ridiculous, you can’t honestly believe that’s s universal experience .