2 cover stories in our archive
Behind the Covers' archive includes 2 album covers documented under the "underwater" design theme, all from the 2020s. These covers sit within the pop, r&b tradition and feature work by Billie Eilish, SZA. Each entry below includes the cover artwork, the designers and photographers behind it, and a short story about the visual choices that defined the release.
Shot entirely underwater in a 20x20x10 foot heated tank, the cover depicts Eilish submerged in deep blue water, creating visual tension between soft intimacy and hard environment. The seven-hour shoot required Eilish to hold her breath for extended periods without breathing equipment.
SZA's SOS cover transforms intimate vulnerability into stark visual poetry, featuring the singer diving backwards into murky water. The image captures the album's themes of emotional drowning and rebirth through a single, perfectly timed underwater moment.