BILLIE’S RISE IS FAR FROM BLURRY

By Nicole Ghapgharan

Darkroom/Interscope’s Billie Eilish lets fans dive deep into her brain in her new Apple TV+ documentary, The World’s a Little Blurry. The nearly two-and-a-half-hour R.J. Cutler film documents Eilish’s rise to stardom, from the success of her single “Ocean Eyes” to her historic Grammy sweep and much of what came in between.

Starring alongside her brother, FINNEAS, and her entire family (including their dog, Pepper), Eilish is seen recording in a bedroom studio, crafting her triple-platinum debut album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, and performing sold-out shows on her world tour. But it also looks at some of the teen phenom’s troubled moments.

The doc contrasts career highlights like playing Coachella and meeting her childhood idol, Justin Bieber, with sequences portraying the constant pressure Eilish is under.

Serving as a coming-of-age story, it gives viewers behind-the-scenes insight into the teenager’s whirlwind life, including emotional struggles involving her now-ex-boyfriend, "Q," and recurring injuries but also the support of her family and team—Darkroom founder/CEO Justin Lubliner and managers Brandon Goodman and Danny Rukasin appear—which is the backbone of her staying sane.

It’s inspiring to watch this small-town girl from Highland Park, Calif., bring her artistic vision to life. As suggested by her journal, which features sketches and lyrics she incorporates into videos like the one for “When the Party’s Over," Eilish is in full creative control and knows exactly what she wants.

As many fans will, I immersed myself in the film and felt I got to see an elusive side of Billie, one she’s kept under wraps for a reason, likely to help maintain a sense of normalcy once she was catapulted into the spotlight. Mostly, though, The World’s a Little Blurry showcases her authenticity. It will almost certainly help solidify her status as one of the greatest and most down-to-earth artists of her generation.

Watch the trailer below.