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Image Credit: Kelia Anne MacCluskey/ Press
Billie Eilish’s “Chihiro,” the third track on her album Hit Me Hard and Soft, dropped on May 17, 2024. Her brother Finneas produced and co-wrote the song. Recorded in their Los Angeles home studio, “Chihiro” is a deep dive into the themes of identity and transformation that have always been at the heart of Billie’s work.
The song’s title is a direct nod to the main character from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, a film that Billie has cited as a huge influence on her. By looking at that film’s deeper themes and motifs, we can get an even more holistic and nuanced perspective of Eilish’s songwriting and the hyper-hidden truths behind the lyrics of “Chihiro.
In this article, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing. We’ll take a look at the lyrics as a whole and then unpack a handful of the most significant and impacting lyrics and words from the song, specifically through the lens of Spirited Away, to see if we can connect some dots and see what’s going on behind R&B, techno, and pop-fused record.
[embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=BY_XwvKogC8&si=PnJSkXIHVpENgwrn[/embed]Billie Eilish CHIHIRO Lyrics
CHIHIRO Meaning
“To take my love away, when I come back around, will I know what to say?”
Billie Eilish taps into the anxiety that comes with personal transformation—the fear of returning to familiar places or people and finding that the connection has changed or, worse, vanished. This line captures that disorienting moment when you’ve gone through something big, and you’re unsure if the world you left behind still has a place for the person you’ve become.
Billie mentioned how Spirited Away influenced her, particularly how the film’s portrayal of change resonated with her, and this lyric clearly reflects that influence.
In Spirited Away, the shock of entering adulthood and the working world is a big theme. Chihiro’s transformation from a whiny, dependent child into a resilient, capable young adult mirrors the kind of change Billie grapples with in this line.
Chihiro’s journey is marked by her struggle to adapt to the harsh realities of the spirit world, where idleness and complaining have no place. As she becomes Sen and takes on the grueling tasks at the bathhouse, she learns to navigate her new reality with maturity and determination. This mirrors Billie’s own reflection on how change, while inevitable, can leave you questioning your place in the world—wondering if the connections you once had will survive your evolution.
Just as Chihiro returns from the spirit world stronger but different, Billie expresses a fear that the very act of changing might leave her disconnected from the people and places she once knew.
“Open up the door, can you open up the door?”
This line, to me, is the most important one of all of them as it’s a recurring motif that Billie continues to come back to. This not only means that it is incredibly important to the song but also that its context and meaning behind it go a little deeper with each revisitation of the lyrical motif.
It’s a line fraught with self-reflection and transformation, both a question and a command, which serves as a resonant metaphor for the personal and existential breakthroughs central to Billie’s songwriting. It’s a plea for escape and an invitation to a new beginning, which draws a parallel to Chihiro’s journey in Spirited Away, where doors are not merely architectural features but portals to self-discovery and change.
In discussing her connection to the film, Billie told Rolling Stone, “It’s kind of from her point of view, mixed with mine.” This blend of perspectives is critical as it underlines the shared emotional landscapes between the artist and the character. Just as Chihiro navigates the labyrinthine spirit world, Billie navigates the complex corridors of her psyche and artistry, each door representing a new phase of understanding or a challenge to be overcome.
Moreover, the concept of flight in Miyazaki’s film carries a big weight and offers a deeper layer of interpretation to Billie’s lyrics.
While flight in Spirited Away is often linked with control and oversight, one specific instance—the liberating flight where Haku, now a dragon, helps Chihiro rediscover his true identity—aligns closely with the themes of Billie’s music. It’s about shedding the constraints of the known and soaring toward the promise of recovery and renewal. Billie’s repeated invocation to open the door echoes this sentiment of liberation and echoes the cathartic release that comes with embracing one’s true self.
I get it, that was a little long-winded, but it is the most charged lyric of the song, in my opinion. But let’s keep going.
“Did you take my love away from me? Me”
The repetition of “me” drives home just how deeply this loss hits, making it clear that this isn’t just about losing love—it’s about having something vital ripped away. It’s raw, personal, and cuts straight to the heart, much like Chihiro’s experience in Spirited Away when she loses her parents, home, and almost her identity.
The parallel is clear: just as Chihiro’s world is upended by greed, Billie’s lyric speaks to the emotional fallout when someone selfishly takes what they have no right to.
In Spirited Away, greed is a destructive force, turning Chihiro’s parents into pigs and setting off a chain reaction of chaos. It’s the same kind of greed that blinds the bathhouse workers to the real dangers around them, leading them to prioritize gold over their own safety.
When Billie asks, “Did you take my love away from me?” it’s not just about the loss; it’s about the selfishness that often causes such pain. Like Yubaba, who’s so consumed by greed she overlooks the essential things, this lyric reflects how selfish desires can lead to devastating consequences, leaving those affected grappling with the injustice of it all.
This line captures the vibe of what Spirited Away warns against—how greed and selfishness can strip away what truly matters. Billie’s repetition of “me” is a powerful echo of this, emphasizing the personal toll of loss caused by someone else’s greed but also in mirror.
“Saw your seat at the counter when I looked away”
This line really captures that bittersweet moment of realizing something’s missing only after it’s gone.
Food in Spirited Away symbolizes both sustenance and corruption and sitting at the counter is a direct mirror of a table or other place where people share food. Chihiro’s parents indulge without considering the consequences, and it costs them their humanity.
In contrast, food also acts as a grounding force—Haku gives Chihiro food to prevent her from disappearing, anchoring her in the spirit world. Billie’s line about the empty seat at the counter taps into this duality. It’s a subtle reminder of how something as simple as shared meals can signify connection, but when overlooked or abused, it leads to disconnection or even loss.
It’s a powerful image that suggests how easily the meaningful things in life can slip away if we’re not paying attention.
“I was waiting in the garden, contemplating, beg your pardon”
This line brings to mind a moment of deep reflection, much like Chihiro’s own moments of solitude in the film. Gardens in literature and film often symbolize growth, renewal, and contemplation, but here, Billie adds a layer of reflective isolation. It’s a place where she’s alone with her thoughts, possibly seeking forgiveness or understanding for the changes she’s undergone.
In Spirited Away, gardens and natural spaces often contrast with the polluted, artificial environments Chihiro encounters. The garden can be seen as a sanctuary, much like when Chihiro helps cleanse the polluted river spirit, revealing its true form beneath the grime. Billie’s use of the garden imagery connects to this idea of purity and reflection.
Just as Chihiro’s actions reveal the river spirit’s true nature, Billie’s contemplation in the garden suggests a similar process of peeling back layers to confront her true self.
Finding Similar Themes In Other Works By Eilish
Spirited Away is a film rich with symbolism, offering insights that resonate far beyond its narrative.
At its core, the movie is a meditation on identity, transformation, and the often harsh realities of growing up. The power of words and names is central to the story, as Chihiro’s journey in the spirit world hinges on her ability to remember her true name and identity. This theme speaks to the universal struggle of holding onto who we are amidst the pressures to conform or forget. It’s a reminder that words, and the names we hold, are not just labels but anchors that keep us connected to our true selves, even when everything around us is shifting.
The blurred line between good and evil in Spirited Away further complicates the narrative, offering a more nuanced view of morality than is typically seen in animated films. Characters like Haku and No-Face, who initially appear either good or bad, reveal complexities that make them hard to categorize. This reflects the real-world understanding that people are rarely just one thing; we all carry both light and darkness within us.
This theme encourages viewers to look beyond surface judgments and understand the deeper motivations and potential for change within everyone. It’s a powerful message about the nature of humanity and the importance of empathy and understanding.
For fans of Billie Eilish, these themes in Spirited Away can serve as a lens through which to view her work.
Much like Chihiro’s journey, Billie’s music often explores the tension between identity and transformation, the fear of loss, and the struggle to navigate a world that demands constant change. In songs like “Chihiro,” you can trace the influence of these themes, as Billie grapples with the complexities of growing up, losing and reclaiming parts of herself, and the ever-present question of how to stay true to who she is.
By recognizing these connections, you can gain a deeper understanding of the emotional and symbolic layers in her music, making her songs not just personal expressions but also universal explorations of the human experience.
The post Billie Eilish CHIHIRO Lyrics And Meaning: How Spirited Away Show Us The Deepest Layers Of This Hit appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.