The name’s Guy. Bad Guy.
On Tuesday, MGM and Universal Pictures International announced that Billie Eilish will write and record the theme song for the upcoming 25th James Bond film No Time to Die, making the 18-year-old singer the youngest artist in history to ever record a Bond theme. The song, which she’s co-writing with her brother, Finneas, will put Eilish in the ranks of title-theme artists like Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney. Eilish announced the news on her Instagram with the to-the-point caption, “‘No Time To Die’ JAMES BOND. AND I AM SINGING THE THEME SONG. ?????? WHAAT.”
She added in a press release, “It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way. To be able to score the theme song to a film that is part of such a legendary series is a huge honor. James Bond is the coolest film franchise ever to exist. I’m still in shock.”
Eilish is a perfect, moody, Zeitgeist-y fit for Bond 25. No Time to Die feels like a turning point in the franchise, as it will be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and co-written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It’s Daniel Craig’s final Bond film before he hangs up the tuxedo and goes full Benoit Blanc. Eilish’s album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, even sounds like an esoteric Bond title. Plus, this news officially puts us on Eilish EGOT watch. The past two James Bond theme songs have won their performers/co-writers the Best Original Song Oscar. Adele won for the iconic “Skyfall” in 2012, and Sam Smith won for his Spectre theme “Writing’s on the Wall” in 2015; there’s a healthy chance Eilish could continue the streak. Plus, she’s nominated for six Grammys next week, so we’ll keep our Billie Eyelashes peeled during the ceremony on January 26. No Time to Die skyfalls into cinemas in the U.S. on April 10.