Intensity.

Billie Eilish has released her first EP dont smile at me at fifteen, and needless to say, it’s impressive. Produced by her brother, Finneas Oa��Connell, dont smile at me perfectly encompasses teenage angst and unrequited love.

Eilish opens the EP with “COPYCAT,” an intense and dark tune symbolizing the importance of her own individuality. “COPYCAT” is by far the most intense off the EP, which then takes a far calmer tone with “idontwannabeyouanymore.” This song, as well as “my boy” both appear to be more lighthearted, but upon a closer inspection of the lyrics, the true dark and mature messages are revealed.

The seemingly youthful and carefree tracks all have hidden meanings — those are the backbone of the EP. This phenomenon seems to mimic another young artist who dominated the alternative-pop world: Lorde.

Lorde, who released her first album back in 2013, is acclaimed for her sophisticated and dark pop at such a young age. Eilish is following directly in her footsteps, with songs like “party favor” ringing similar to Lorde’s “White Teeth Teens” or “400 Lux.”

My personal favorite track off the EP is “watch,” which was later remixed with Vince Staples and renamed “&burn.” This song reeks of resentment, as Eilish soulfully sings about a lover who leads her on, just to leave her with her heart aflame. The beats in these two songs are incredible; subtle, yet powerful enough to make her message clear. Add in her crisp and flighty voice, the blend of intensity and youth is nothing short of perfection.

Throughout the entire album, Eilish combines her youthful naivety with heavy, adult topics, truly following in the footsteps of her predecessor Lorde. However, with Lorde entering adulthood and her tone maturing with her, Eilish is the perfect heir to the young alternative-pop scene.