By Isabelle Gehr ‘26
Background of Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish was born on December 18th, 2001. Her first name is in honor of her maternal grandfather William.
Billie spent her childhood with her older brother Finneas. The two of them were homeschooled. Billie’s parents Maggie and Patrick were longtime actors. They encouraged Billie and Finneas to explore the arts. Billie was a dancer and taught herself to play instruments. She also joined the LA children’s chorus when she was 8 years old.
Finneas wrote a song for his band called “Ocean Eyes.” Billie’s career in music started in November 2015 when she and Finneas uploaded “Ocean Eyes” on SoundCloud. According to Catherine Caruso from Biography.com, at 13 years old Billie’s voice was said to be “ethereal.” In August of 2017 Billie released her first album “Don’t Smile at Me.” Billie got really popular from some of the songs on the album such as “Bellyache,” “Copycat,” “My Boy,” and “I Don’t Wanna Be You Anymore.”
Billie’s Fashion
Billie really loves exploring different types of fashion. Billie doesn’t care if others have something to say about her fashion sense. Billie has spoken about her fashion choices. In the 2023 book Billie Eilish: And the Clothes She Wears by Terry Newman Billie says, “I just like dressing out of my comfort zone. I want to dress in a way that if I was in a room full of people wearing regular clothes, I would be like, ‘Oh, I bet everyone’s looking at me.’ I want to feel that way. That’s my causality. I love being judged. I’m here for it.” Billie is such a positive role model for young fans who would love to wear the same fashion as her, if not similar.
The making of Billie’s recent album “Hit me Hard and Soft”
In May of 2024, Zane Lowe interviewed Billie and her brother Finneas about the new album a few days after it was released. During the interview Billie said, “I just wanted to make what felt true not what people expected.” To do that, according to Finneas, they chose not to chase a specific sound and let the music come naturally. Billie and Finneas want the listeners to feel understood. Billie said, “Love, identity, and emotional complexity are things that don’t have clear answers.” When Lowe asked how the sibling dynamic affects the music Billie stated, “There’s complete trust. We can be brutally honest without hurting each other.”
Sources
https://research.ebsco.com/c/zntfv7/viewer/html/pwgojjbkfj
https://www.biography.com/musicians/billie-eilish
https://www.vogue.com/article/billie-eilish-november-2024-cover-interview
Book: Billie Eilish And the Clothes She Wears by Terry Newman