The week following the call with the O'Connells, Alex sent Finneas a carefully worded email. He attached a very rough instrumental sketch he'd put together – not a full production, but a mood piece hinting at the atmospheric, minimalist soundscape he envisioned for "Ocean Eyes." He'd used airy synth pads, a subtle sub-bass, and a gentle, pulsing rhythm, all directly inspired by the [Maestro's Codex] analysis of the original track's core emotional components, but simplified enough to feel like an idea, not a dictate.
"Finneas, Billie,
Hope you're both well. I was playing around with some ideas for 'Ocean Eyes' based on Billie's stunning vocal on the demo. Just a quick atmospheric sketch, no pressure at all, but thought it might spark some inspiration for how we could approach a fuller production. Would love to hear your thoughts if you get a chance to listen.
Best, Alex."
He was treading carefully, aiming to be a collaborator, not an instructor. He wanted them to feel ownership.
The reply came from Finneas a couple of days later.
"Alex, Listened to the sketch. Billie did too. It's really cool. Definitely captures a vibe we were imagining but hadn't figured out how to achieve technically yet. She especially liked the layered vocal idea you hinted at in the reverbs. We're keen to try working on it more properly if you are."
Alex felt a surge of triumph. This was the invitation he needed.
They arranged for a remote collaboration session. Given the O'Connells lived in LA and Alex was not so near, they used Skype and a combination of screen sharing and sending audio stems back and forth. It was clunky by 2025 standards, but it worked.
Alex had Billie send him her raw vocal take for "Ocean Eyes" – the one from her SoundCloud demo, which was emotionally pure even if technically unpolished. He then guided Finneas, who had a basic Logic Pro setup, through some production techniques. He suggested layering Billie's vocals, adding specific harmonies (which Billie picked up with astonishing speed and accuracy, her natural musicality shining). He walked Finneas through creating a cleaner sub-bass, programming a more defined beat using samples they found together, and finding those signature shimmering synth textures.
It wasn't Alex dictating. It was him asking questions: "What if we try a little more reverb here, Finneas?" "Billie, could you try that line again, but with a little more breathiness at the end?" He used the Codex as his internal guide, nudging them towards the refined brilliance of the original, but letting their instincts and talents fill in the crucial details. Finneas, a burgeoning production talent in his own right, soaked it all up, his contributions increasingly sophisticated. Billie, initially shy on camera, came alive when discussing lyrical nuances or vocal deliveries. Her artistic instincts were razor-sharp.
Slowly, over several sessions spanning a couple of weeks, "Ocean Eyes" began to transform. It retained its ethereal, bedroom-recorded intimacy but gained a professional sheen, a depth and clarity that elevated it monumentally. The iconic finger snaps, the pulsing synth bass, Billie's haunting, multi-layered vocals – it was all falling into place, an almost perfect recreation, yet achieved collaboratively.
Meanwhile, Alex's school life was becoming… complicated. "Shape of You" and "Perfect" were inescapable. They were on the radio, in stores, on other students' phones. The "Is he the Alex Vance?" whispers had turned into direct questions, awkward selfie requests, and a general aura of low-level celebrity that made him deeply uncomfortable. His attempts to maintain a low profile were crumbling.
One lunchtime, sitting alone trying to review Codex notes on early Olivia Rodrigo songs, a popular jock named Mark swaggered over with his cronies. "Hey, Vance! Heard your stuff on the radio. Not bad for a little emo kid. My girlfriend loves that 'Perfect' song. You actually write that, or your daddy buy it for you?"
Alex just looked at him, his 25-year-old mind finding the teenage taunt almost absurd. "I wrote it," he said quietly, then went back to his phone. Mark, deflated by the lack of reaction, just scoffed and moved on. But the incident was a reminder: his worlds were colliding.
He needed to keep Echo Chamber insulated from this, and he needed to accelerate his search for Olivia. The Codex indicated that at twelve years old, Olivia Rodrigo might be discoverable through talent agencies specializing in child actors or performers, or possibly through more formal music competitions, rather than informal SoundCloud uploads like Billie.
His father, now fully embracing his role as music mogul in training, had contacts. "You're looking for another young talent, a female singer, possibly with an acting background?" David had asked when Alex broached the subject vaguely. "I know a few reputable youth talent agents in LA I could put out feelers to. Send them some unreleased Echo Chamber tracks as a show of what we do, see if they have anyone on their books who fits the vibe you're looking for."
Alex agreed. He packaged up a few instrumental demos of early-Olivia-esque tracks he'd sketched out – songs with big emotional choruses and relatable storytelling, tailoring them based on his memory of her SOUR era power, but simplified for a younger artist. He labelled the demo submission simply: "Echo Chamber Records - New Artist Search (Female Vocalist, 12-15 age range, pop/singer-songwriter)."
While the "Ocean Eyes" collaboration with Billie and Finneas neared completion, Alex's own next single, "Someone You Loved" (Lewis Capaldi), was in its final mixing stages. He knew this track, with its raw vocal power and heart-wrenching lyrics, would solidify his reputation as a serious vocal talent, not just a pop hitmaker.
He was juggling multiple timelines of music in his head, producing for himself, co-producing for Billie, scouting for Olivia, and managing the increasingly bizarre reality of being a fifteen-year-old pop star. The pressure was immense, but the creative energy was exhilarating.
As the final mix of "Ocean Eyes" bounced, Alex listened with Finneas and Billie over Skype.
"I've been watchin' you for some time
Can't stop starin' at those ocean eyes
Burning cities and napalm skies
Fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes
Your ocean eyes
No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you gimme those ocean eyes
I'm scared
I've never fallen from quite this high
Fallin' into your ocean eyes
Those ocean eyes
I've been walkin' through a world gone blind
Can't stop thinkin' of your diamond mind
Careful creature made friends with time
He left her lonely with a diamond mind
And those ocean eyes
No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you gimme those ocean eyes
I'm scared
I've never fallen from quite this high
Fallin' into your ocean eyes
Those ocean eyes
Da, da-da, da-da
Da-da-da, da, da
Da, da, da, da, da-da-da-da
Mm
Mm
Mm
No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you gimme those ocean eyes
I'm scared
I've never fallen from quite this high
Fallin' into your ocean eyes
Those ocean eyes"
Even through the compressed audio of the call, the magic was undeniable.
"Wow," Finneas breathed. "That… sounds like a proper record."
Billie was quiet, but Alex saw a small, almost shy smile on her face in the corner of the screen.
"It is a proper record," Alex said. "And the world needs to hear it. Echo Chamber Records would be honored to release 'Ocean Eyes' by Billie Eilish."
He could see Maggie and Patrick in the background, exchanging a look. This time, it felt less like consideration, and more like agreement. The first official signing to Echo Chamber Records, beyond himself, was imminent.
-----
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