"How did it get so dark?": Mapping Liminal Spaces in Music Videos of Billie Eilish.

: Darkness as it exists in one’s imagination and in the tangible realm is inextricably linked with a confusion of boundaries, a period of uncertainty and transition. By blurring the boundaries between familiar and unfamiliar, liminal spaces are safe yet intimidating. The paper analyses the lyrics and the music videos of songs “bury a friend,” “everything I wanted,” “NDA” and “Happier Than Ever” released by Billie Eilish from her albums When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) and Happier Than Ever (2021) to trace the configuration of liminal spaces. The dark visuals and lyrics that hint at fear, hatred and death act as liminal spaces where the numerous conflicts arising from separation, nightmares, violation of privacy, and intrusive thoughts are addressed, if not fully resolved. The darkness contributes to the evaluation of personal beliefs, aspirations and challenges in uncanny settings. Engaging with Eilish’s lyrics and music videos facilitates an investigation into the conceptualization of darkness in the popular American imagination