She is the latest edgy 17-year-old songstress to capture the hearts of pop music fans of all ages. Still, there is much more to learn about Billie Eilish, who just hit Number One with "Bad Guy," than we may realize.
What is the inspiration behind her lyrics? What does she like about the touring lifestyle? What color will her hair be next? Learn the little known things about Billie Eilish here.
The “Eyelash” Joke Is Weak Compared To Her Full Name
Eilish was born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell on December 18, 2001, and raised in Los Angeles. She and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, were both homeschooled.
When She Was Younger
Eilish has been singing since she was just 8 years old. Her and her brother even became a part of the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus when they were younger
She Takes Dancing Very Seriously
Dancing has also been a passion for Eilish since she was much younger, practicing up to 11 hours a week, but dance could have been her downfall at one point. In 2016, she was practicing a few hip hop movies in her dance class when her bone popped and was separated from her hip muscle.
Talent Runs In The Family
Though Eilish first started writing and singing her own songs when she was just 11, “ocean eyes,” the 2016 song that made her a viral sensation, was actually written by her brother, “Glee” actor and musician Finneas O’Connell, for his band The Slightlys. Her parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O’Connell, are musically inclined as well, but also have careers in acting, with Baird lending her voice to countless films and video games and O’Connell popping up in various projects, including Iron Man.
Record Breaker
According to CNN, Eilish is first musical artist born after 2000 to have album hit number one, with her 2019 debut, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Not to mention that she also hold the record as youngest female artist to have a number one album in the United Kingdom.
Baggy Clothes Hold The Secret
Eilish has admitted that her, self-described, "pretty weird" fashion style of most baggy clothes is a conscious choice to avoid judgment over her body from the public. As she said in her Calvin Klein campaign ad, “Nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath. Nobody can be like, ‘she’s slim-thick,’ ‘she’s not slim-thick’… No one can say any of that because they don’t know.”
She Took The “Belieber” Side Of Her Pretty Far At A Young Age
In a radio interview with KROQ, Eilish described her “first love” as none other than pop star Justin Bieber, whom she has been a fan of since she was 12, admitting that “in my head he was in love with me, it was like a relationship with a person.” She got to meet her “first love” during his set Coachella in 2019.
No One Is A Bigger Fan Of “The Office”
It is indeed a fact that the biggest fan of NBC’s American adaptation of “The Office” is Eilish, who used audio clips of the 2011 episode “Threat Level Midnight” in her song, “My Strange Addiction.” Her supreme infatuation with the sitcom was confirmed when Dwight Schrute himself, Rainn Wilson, quizzed her on "Office" trivia, which she passed almost flawlessly.
Meat Gives Her A “bellyache”
Eilish has been vegan for many years, which is not so much a healthy lifestyle choice as much as it out of respect for animals. She has publicly criticized the dairy and meat industries and its consumers for “contributing by LITERALLY EATING the creatures that are being fully tortured” for their pleasure.
She Has Tourettes, But It Doesn’t Have Her
Eilish has spoken candidly about her battle with Tourette Syndrome which, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is characterized by involuntary movements and vocalizations known as tics. The singer, who opened up about the disorder on Instagram after fans posted videos compiling signs of her disorder, told Ellen DeGeneres that, “I think I also really learned that a lot of my fans have it, which made me feel kind of more at home with saying it, and also I felt like there was a connection there.”
She Used To Have A Very Unique Instagram Handle
Though she has since changed her Instragram handle to the much more apt @billieeilish, Eilish’s original handle asked an irreverent question: @wherearetheavocados. She told iHeart Radio that she tried to change it once to @fartingfingers, but Instagram would not allow it.
She Has A Lot Of Famous, Older Fans
Eilish is still relatively new to the music business and has yet to hit adulthood, but she has earned the admiration of millions, including a few people who have her beat in the department of age and fame. Melissa McCarthy, Oscar-winner Julia Roberts, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Katy Perry, and many others have offered their appreciation of the young singer in interviews, on social media, or in person.
Her Musical Influences Are Very Eclectic
Eilish’s unique sound comes from a combination of influences. has a ton of musical influences. She told Teen Vogue that she inspired by people like Tyler The Creator (because “he does anything he wants, really, and doesn’t care if it works out or not, which I totally, completely admire”), Earl Sweatshirt, Drake, Big Sean, Childish Gambino, A$AP Rocky, Lana Del Rey, and Aurora.
This Explains Her Music Videos
The horror genre has also influenced much of EIlish’s career, given that the first song she ever wrote at 11 years old, called “Fingers Crossed,” was inspired by an episode of one her favorite series, “The Walking Dead.” She recently revealed to Rolling Stone that she had to stop watching horror movies, however, after her frequent night terrors began to get much worse, stating, “I saw creatures outside my windows. I had sleep paralysis. I’m done with the fake [stuff] — real life is way too scary.”
Fans Need To Obey Her Privacy
After Eilish’s home address was somehow leaked online, fans took this as a perfect opportunity to meet the singer and invited themselves over to her house, which she did not take a like to. As she told Rolling Stone, “It was really traumatizing. I completely don’t feel safe in my house anymore, which sucks. I love my house.”
She Is Not The Biggest Fan Of Touring
For being one of the most sought out pop stars in the world, touring is not something that Eilish enjoys, especially with how long it keeps her away from friends. As she told Rolling Stone, “It’s annoying. I have this amazing thing in front of me, and I don’t want to hate it. And I don’t hate it. But I hate certain parts of it.”
She Struggles With Mental Illness
If her dark lyrics did not make it clear enough, Eilish has a history of mental illness, even stating in an interview with Beats 1 that “depression has controlled sort of everything in my life… I’ve kind of always been a melancholy person.” She has also spoken candidly about her struggles with self-harm and is even quoted as saying that she “really, really, really, really” hates herself.