From Bedroom Musician to Global Icon: Who is Billie Eilish

If you hear young and successful musicians, one name that prominently comes to everyone's mind is Billie Eilish. By the age of 17, the young talent has already made an impact on pop music. In March 2019. She became the first artist to hold a #1 album that was born after 2000. She is also the youngest artist to be ever nominated for a Grammy award. The American singer and songwriter first came into the public limelight with her debut single 'Ocean Eyes' in 2015 at the age of 14 years. Now she is known for her amazing vocals, some of the biggest hits of the century, along with her freaky hairstyles and sense of fashion. So let's get into her journey and see what this young creative mind has done for herself till now. 

What’s the Billie Eilish story?

Billie was born in Los Angeles as a daughter to struggling actors in December 2001. Maggie Baird and Patrick O'Connell, her parents, were both struggling actors when the singer was born. She and her brother Finneas O'Connell were both homeschooled and grew up surrounded by art. This is what inspired the brother-sister duo to pursue art, especially music in their careers. Their parents filled their home with musical instruments, making their daughter to be influenced by her childhood.

Since she was a child, Billie started regularly singing in choirs, writing and performing music. But that is not all, she also regularly created photo shoots and made movies. Maggie Baird, her mother once recalled, “We kind of had a rule in the house that no one would ever make you go to sleep if you were playing music– music trumped everything.”

Billie Eilish personal life includes her being really interested and passionate about dancing and it was dance that helped her achieve the grand musical stardom. In 2015, her dance teacher asked her to provide an original song which led her and her brother to produce 'Ocean Eyes'. To think she was just 14 years old when the song became a hit on social media platforms is crazy! Once the song was completed, they both uploaded it on SoundCloud and overnight, the track became a viral hit! Currently, Billie Eilish age is just 22 and she is already a Grammy and Oscar winner!!!

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell - weird, right?

The 'Bad Guy' singer's complete name is Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell. When Maggie Baird was pregnant with Billie, her then-four-year-old brother Finneas was a big fan of pirates. As he liked everything Pirate-related, he started to call his unborn sister Pirate too! The name stuck with the family for long and Billie was almost named Pirate too! 

"They called me Pirate for months, and they were kind of planning on naming me Pirate," the 'lovely singer revealed. And soon before I was born, my grandfather died, and his name was William, AKA Bill, Billie. And that's where my name came from." Her middle name Eilish was also supposed to be her first name, while Pirate was supposed to be her middle name. Because of the singer's grandfather's passing, she was named Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell, Pirate being her middle name forever! 

Top 10 tracks of Billie Eilish 

If we ever sat to think of the Billie Eilish songs that made us feel joy, sadness, or happiness, we would sit for hours. In just 22 years of age, the singer has given the music industry several hits, making them international bangers, and gaining numerous awards and recognition. Her discography is just too magical for rankings, but let’s try! 

10. ‘You Should See Me In A Crown’ (2019)

This was originally released as a single before becoming a tracklist in her debut album ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’ in 2019. This song reflects the young artist’s unparalleled self-assurance of never disappearing.  

09. ‘Everything I Wanted’ (2021)

This appeared on Eilish's second studio album 'Happier Than Ever'. Detailing a dream that the singer once had. This came from a dream that the singer once had where she killed herself and no one cared, reflecting the emotions of her whispering vocals and emotive lyrics. 

08. ‘Therefore I Am’ (2020)

The root of the magic that this c=track creates lies underneath the loud and clear message of rising above all of Eilish’s enemies and haters. As you continue to listen to the track, you will be able to imagine the singer flipping her hair off when she receives something hateful and we love her for that! 

07. ‘No Time to Die’ (2020)

This is the song that won the brother-sister duo their first-ever Academy award! This was also the theme song to the 007 film No Time to Die. But that is not all, the track also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 2020 and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media in 2021! 

06. ‘Everything I Wanted’ (2019)

This is the first track that she and her brother wrote together after the successful debut album ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’ The duo said that they wrote this song for each other as no matter what happens, the siblings got each other. 

05. ‘When The Party’s Over’ (2019) 

Penned by Finneas, this song has an emotional pull that is elevated by its accompanying haunting video. As Billie also co-directed the video, this is the track that first recognized Billie beyond her creativity in the musical realm. 

04. ‘Bad Guy’ (2019)

This is Eilish’s first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 which she later released a remix with her biggest inspiration, none other than Justin Bieber! This electro-pop track is her way of reacting to someone who thinks they are the tough deal. 

03. ‘when the party’s over’ (2019)

Written by Finneas again, this is the track where Billie shared her captivating vocals, forever making a hole in our hearts! The song tells a painful yet beautiful story of a recurring love that plays like a hymn and the singer’s vocals could not capture the emotions better. 

02. ‘Happier Than Ever’ (2021) 

This is the most quintessential Billie song, filled with regret and rage - defiance and tears. The track is so raw and specific that it is hard to imagine any other artist singing and portraying the emotions so perfectly than Eilish herself! 

01. ‘What Was I Made For?’ (2023) 

This is another original song that the artist wrote and sang for the Barbie movie. Included in Barbie the Album, we are fingers crossed that this would bring another Academy in the house! 

Eilish Tours

In her career, Billie Eilish has done a total of 6 tours. In the six Billie Eilish tour, the first one “Don't Smile at Me Tour” which was launched in support of her debut EP ‘Don't Smile at Me’ in 2017. Then she headlined “Where's My Mind Tour”, and ‘Don't Smile at Me Tour’ in 2017 as well. To support her debut album, Eilish went on ‘When We All Fall Asleep, World Tour’ in 2020, followed by ‘Where Do We Go? World Tour’ in the same year. The latest world tour was ‘Happier Than Ever, The World Tour’ in support of her second studio album ‘Happier Than Ever (2021)’. 

In 2002, Billie became the youngest person to get featured in the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. She was listed with the earnings of $53 million. Although the updated Billie Eilish net worth is unknown, but her touring alone has reportedly earned her $150 million. She also reportedly got a $1 million advance for the photograph book, Billie Eilish. Apart from her hefty brand endorsements, she also made her official acting debut with Amazon Prime Video's 'Swarm'. So it is safe to say that our girl is worth more than what was reported in Forbes back in 2020! 

Dating life? 

The ever-sensational singer and artist has had several relationships in her life, some of them are confirmed, and some are rumored. In 2020, the documentary on Billie’s life ‘The World's A Little Blurry’ on Apple TV+ revealed the name of Billie Eilish boyfriend that is publicly acknowledged. It was Brandon Quentin Adams, aka Q, and the couple split just a year after dating. 

Then the singer had a year-long relationship with actor Matthew Tyler Vorce. In 2022, Billie debuted a new beau, Jesse Rutherford which she dated till 2023. In May 2023, the couple confirmed their split, however, she clarified that her ex-boyfriend is her “homie forever”. 

The singer also never labeled her sexuality, but the 'Bellyache' singer revealed in a candid interview for Variety's The Power of Women issue that she was also attracted to women. "I never really felt like I could relate to girls very well," Billie said while she discussed she felt like other women did not like her. "I never really felt like I could relate to girls very well," she said while discussing feeling like other women didn't like her. "I love [women] so much. I love them as people. I'm attracted to them as people. I'm attracted to them for real."