Yahoo Movies 'No Time To Die': Billie Eilish confirmed to write and perform Bond theme song
Following speculation earlier today, it’s been confirmed that Billie Eilish has written and will perform the title song for No Time To Die, the 25th James Bond film.
The official 007 Twitter account announced the news, naming her the “youngest artist in history” in charge of a James Bond theme song. The 18-year-old has written the song with her brother and usual collaborator Finneas O’Connell.
“It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way,” Eilish wrote on Twitter. “To be able to score the theme song to a film that is part of such a legendary series is a huge honour. James Bond is the coolest film franchise ever to exist. I’m still in shock.”
The #NoTimeToDie title song will be performed by @billieeilish. Billie has written the song with her brother @finneas and is the youngest artist in history to write and record a James Bond theme song. pic.twitter.com/Qd5cYIRlmg
— James Bond (@007) January 14, 2020
The US singer-songwriter, 18, was confirmed by Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli just hours after she teased her fans on social media that she was behind the song.
Wilson and Broccoli said: "We are excited to announce that Billie and Finneas have written an incredibly powerful and moving song for No Time To Die, which has been impeccably crafted to work within the emotional story of the film."
“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 honour. James Bond is the coolest film franchise ever to exist. I’m still in shock,” Billie Eilish #NoTimeToDie https://t.co/g6A1w8i10s
— James Bond (@007) January 14, 2020
Finneas added: "Writing the theme song for a Bond film is something we've been dreaming about doing our entire lives. "There is no more iconic pairing of music and cinema than the likes of Goldfinger and Live And Let Die. We feel so so lucky to play a small role in such a legendary franchise, long live 007."
The film's director Cary Joji Fukunaga said: "There are a chosen few who record a Bond theme. I am a huge fan of Billie and Finneas.
"Their creative integrity and talent are second to none and I cannot wait for audiences to hear what they've brought - a fresh new perspective whose vocals will echo for generations to come."
Earlier on Tuesday, Billie Eilish posted a series of photos of iconic Bond girls to her Instagram story, apparently in response to the rumour that she would be singing the theme song for No Time To Die.
The series of photos, posted to Eilish’s Instagram account which has 48.6 million followers, show Lea Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann in Spectre, Caterina Murino’s Solange and Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd from Casino Royale, Bérénice Marlohe’s Sévérine in Skyfall, Olga Kurylenko’s Camille Montes in Quantum of Solace, Halle Berry’s Jinx from Die Another Day, Claudine Auger as Domino in Thunderball and Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova in From Russia With Love.
There seems to be no specific theme connecting the Bond girls Eilish shared, other than five of them have appeared in Daniel Craig’s four previous Bond outings. No Time To Die, coming to cinemas in April, is Craig’s fifth and final film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007. It’s being directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga who follows Eilish on Instagram.
Read more: The troubled timeline of Bond 25
James Bond blog Mi6-HQ reported earlier this week that Eilish is set to make film history as the youngest artist ever to record a Bond theme song.
Born in December 2001, Eilish (real name Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell) is 18, just one year older than Pierce Brosnan’s 2002 Bond swansong Die Another Day.
The last two Bond themes were recorded by Sam Smith who was 23 when he recorded Writing’s On The Wall for Spectre and Adele who was 24 when she recorded Skyfall. Both went on to win Oscars for the songs.
Fans of the singer, who released her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2019, and of the Bond films, have responded to the hints with a range of emotions.
Already a bop. https://t.co/8Qet4OJg5X
— Ami (@Amic_8197) January 14, 2020
hoping she gives an interview where she says she's never seen a Bond film, I want the old men watching this to be IRRITATED https://t.co/cghlIxgIsj
— Alistair Ryder (@YesitsAlistair) January 14, 2020
I do hope this is true. First, because it’s an excellent idea. Second, because it will give a certain class of Bond fan the opportunity to boast about not having heard of her. And they deserve some fun in their twilight years. https://t.co/hKjIz2Du2w
— 🥃Donald Clarke📽 (@DonaldClarke63) January 14, 2020
The update from Eilish follows official confirmation that Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer would be composing music for No Time To Die. The fast-working tunesmith was drafted in as a replacement for Dan Romer who departed the project over “creative differences” late last year.
Yahoo has contacted representatives for Eilish and No Time To Die for comment.
Written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (Spectre, Skyfall), Cary Joji Fukunaga, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag), No Time To Die is in UK cinemas from 2 April, 2020.
It stars Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah with Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes.
Watch the first trailer below.
