When Billie Eilish tried to direct a perfect video for her song “Birds of a Feather,” the journey took a different turn because she did not get it as well as she might have wanted. This track was announced to be part of her highly-anticipated third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft; it also got a fresh vision when Billie decided to step aside from the chair of a director and passed the torch to Aidan Zamiri. The final version, released on September 27, 2024, is a hypnotic look into emotional attachment and vulnerability with a concept as haunting as it is captivating.
Originally, Billie Eilish took it upon herself to direct the video for “Birds of a Feather.” Her need to control every little aspect of the visual expression was strong, though the result turned out not as well as expected after trying.
Billie mentioned in interviews that it disassociated her from it; hence, it couldn’t really give out the complete meaning of what she was trying to portray on the song. That’s why, in fact, she restarted it entirely. This not only showed how attached and committed she was to her vision but also that she was very much willing to make tough changes for idealistic results.
When Billie finally felt that the required approach was needed for the project, he hired a director named Aidan Zamiri, known for his innovative and imaginative projects in collaboration with Charli XCX. Zamiri had a reputation for mixing emotional depth with striking, mind-blowing visuals, making him a perfect fit for “Birds of a Feather.” His creative insight gave life to the project, and the final product came out so well visually, taking Billie’s concept to a whole new level. It had to say something about Zamiri’s talent for pushing artistic boundaries that he approached the visual narrative this way.
The final version focuses on Billie being manipulated by an invisible force: being pulled, dragged, and contorted by the invisible string manifests all emotional tugging and pulling many feelings of love do. Eerie, muted visuals with slow, purposeful pacing enhance any sense of control and powerlessness. All these subtle yet powerful symbolisms come into play within the broader theme of loving’s emotional complexities: tenderness, control, and pain. An invisible string is, in fact, a very striking visual metaphor-one which states how relationships might tie you down and overwhelm you-embracing the brutal honesty behind the sweet melody of the song.
One of the most striking elements of Zamiri’s direction has to be the juxtaposition between the video space of fantasy and the excruciating, often brutal lyrics of the track. Where “Birds of a Feather” has an ultra-gentle and almost lullaby-like melody, its lyrics navigate the more painful and darkly sentimental side of love. Zamiri’s decision to visually play up that juxtaposition was one that carved out a heavy emotional landscape.
From the moment it was published, the music video was surrounded by controversy. Hardcore fans and brutal critics alike celebrated the bold artistic direction taken with the work; many celebrated the emotional depth and striking visual content. However, to the interpretation of some viewers, the abstraction was hard to decipher from the video. The video received both positive and negative reviews.
