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After starring as 007 over the past two decades, and having theme songs written and performed by legendary acts such as Chris Cornell, Jack White and Alicia Keys, Adele, and Sam Smith, Daniel Craig had high expectations for what would be his theme song. With his final Bond outing, No Time To Die, set to be released in theaters within the next few days, the theme song's co-producer, Stephen Lipson, reveals how Billie Eilish and her brother, FINNEAS, managed to win over the film's star.
Lipson told Music Week that Craig initially had hesitations about the theme. Even after the final mix, which took three months for all the artists to complete, Lipson, Eilish, and FINNEAS were waiting for Craig's approval, as the movie star wanted the climax to be louder.
"I finished the mix and everybody was happy but we still had to get Daniel on board," Lipson said in his interview with Music Week. "From the start, quite understandably, he wasn't all that sure that the song delivered the right emotional climax for his final Bond outing, so satisfying him was key."
Lipson invited Craig to his studio to hear the song and continued to tinker with the vocal climax until Craig walked in. He described sitting the actor between the speakers in order to could get the full effect of the track.
"When the song finished heh didn't look up but asked to hear it once more," Lipson said. "Barbara and I had no idea how he felt until the end of his second listening, when he looked up at me and said something like, 'That's f****** amazing.' As soon as he'd approved it the wheels were set in motion and the news that Billie Eilish was doing the Bond theme song appeared everywhere."
No Time To Die was initially supposed to be released in April 2020, however, the pandemic postponed the film's release until October 2021 so that it could be seen in theaters. Eilish and FINNEAS both met Prince William and Kate Middleton on the red carpet for the film's premiere in the UK.
"It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way," Eilish had said when the theme song was released last year. "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 to ever exist. I'm still in shock."
Eilish also revealed a hidden easter egg in her and FINNEAS' James Bond theme song. The siblings incorporated the classic Bond opening sting at the beginning of the track's second verse as a treat for dedicated fans. No Time To Die will be released in the UK on September 30, and in the United States on October 8.
Eilish and FINNEAS performed at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival. If you missed any of the action, you can relive the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Festival by tuning in to The CW Network on Saturday, October 2nd and Sunday, October 3rd from 8-10 pm ET/PT for a two-night television special.