The Door to Vulnerability: Billie Eilish's 'CHIHIRO' Music Video Review

Billie Eilish - CHIHIRO (Official Music Video) - YouTube

WOW!!! Billie Eilish, you’ve done it again. The ‘CHIHIRO’ music video features an intimate portrayal of two romantically involved characters (played by Billie and Nat Wolff) who have shown each other their demons and can’t turn back. They yell, physically fight, laugh, and lovingly look into each other’s eyes, unable to figure out if pain outweighs pleasure in the relationship.

The video starts out with Billie’s back toward us as she walks through a dark hallway, closing doors that have been left open, and literally (& possibly metaphorically!) letting her hair down from its ponytail. Eventually, she gets to the last door, and as the first “open up the door” lyric lands, she does just that, revealing a strong gust of wind that sends her hair straight up and pushes against her body. Billie doesn’t seem fearful of what’s behind the door but rather walks right into it, confidently embracing the potential danger on the other side. What she meets when she follows the stairs is a man who you can tell she knows well - she instantly fights with him, first yelling, then shoving and hitting, and then smiling and running away together. What Billie so expertly conveys in this scene is begging someone to open up to you, reveal what’s behind the door of their character, unveiling everything behind the mask - and then having to deal with the darkness that can unfold while still being engrossed in their love. As her lyrics state, “I know you said before you can’t cope with anymore. You told me it was war, said you’d show me what’s in store. I hope it’s not for sure, can you open up the door?”. Billie can’t help but crave to meet the ‘war’ in her lover’s mind, even if it makes her a participant in the war itself.

The camera work then becomes erratic and lands the two characters outside, showcasing that their struggle isn’t just a private one but impacts their public relationship in the outside world. The camera pans to just Billie alone, clearly feeling happy, confident, and sexy until Nat Wolff’s character appears. Then Billie is sent into a panic, running from him and no longer desiring the intimacy that their fighting brought previously. Wolff’s character downright attacks her as the lyrics layer over with “they tell me it’s all been a trap. And you don’t know if you’ll make it back”, conveying the insatiably addictive cycle that has kept them both trapped in the relationship.

Props to the intimacy (and violence?) coordinator for cinematically choreographing the shoving, hitting, and tussle in a way that made the audience feel consumed by their story and what got them to this point. By the end, the attack transitions from pain to pleasure - with Billie not showing outright fear or a desire to get away from the male character anymore. With their hands around each other’s heads, the violence transforms into a caress that reminds them of the passion that charges their war against each other.

This video is so brilliantly directed, adding to the list of Billie’s incredible talents. I came away pondering the idea that while vulnerability can be a beautiful window into a soul, it can also be a door that is hard to close once it’s been begged to be opened.