Billie Eilish facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billie Eilish
Eilish in 2023
Born	Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell (2001-12-18) December 18, 2001 (age 23) Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	2015–present
Works	Discography songs recorded
Parent(s)	Maggie Baird (mother)
Relatives	Finneas O'Connell (brother) Brian Baird (uncle)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals ukulele guitar piano
Labels	Darkroom Interscope
YouTube information
Years active	2013–present
Genre	Music vlog
Subscribers	54 million
Total views	17.7 billion
Subscriber and view counts updated as of December 18, 2024.
Signature

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell (born December 18, 2001) is an American singer and songwriter. She became famous in 2015 with her first song, "Ocean Eyes." Her brother, Finneas O'Connell, wrote and produced this song. They often work together on music and live shows. In 2017, she released her first mini-album, called an extended play (EP), titled Don't Smile at Me. This EP was very popular and reached the top 15 charts in many countries.

Billie Eilish's first full album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), quickly became number one in the US and UK. It was one of the best-selling albums that year. Her hit song "Bad Guy" made history. It was the first song by an artist born in the 21st century to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 2020, Eilish sang the theme song "No Time to Die" for the James Bond movie No Time to Die. This song topped the UK charts and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2022. Her other popular songs like "Everything I Wanted" and "Your Power" also reached the top ten in the US and UK.

Her second album, Happier Than Ever (2021), was number one in 25 countries. She also wrote and performed "What Was I Made For?" for the movie Barbie (2023). This song became her second number-one hit in the UK and earned her another Academy Award. Her third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024), was highly praised. It included popular songs like "Lunch" and "Birds of a Feather."

Billie Eilish has won many awards. These include two Academy Awards, nine Grammy Awards, and twenty Guinness World Records. She is one of only a few artists to win the four biggest Grammy awards in the same year. These are Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. She is also the first person born in the 21st century to win an Academy Award. She is the youngest person ever to win two Academy Awards. Time magazine has featured her on their important lists. She is known as one of the most successful artists of the 2010s. Billie Eilish also speaks out about important issues like climate change and gender equality.

Discovering Billie Eilish's Early Life

Eilish with her mother, Maggie Baird, in November 2018

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 18, 2001. Her parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O'Connell, are both actors and musicians. They also help with Billie's music tours. Billie has Irish and Scottish family roots. Her middle name, Eilish, was almost her first name. Her parents decided to name her Billie after her grandfather, William Baird, who passed away. She grew up in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles.

Billie and her older brother, Finneas, were taught at home by their mother. Their parents wanted them to have the freedom to follow their interests. Maggie Baird taught both Billie and Finneas how to write songs. Billie says her brother and mother encouraged her to get into music. Their parents supported them in exploring art, dancing, and acting.

Billie started playing the ukulele when she was six. She performed in talent shows and joined the Los Angeles Children's Chorus at age eight. She wrote her first "real" song at age 11 for her mother's songwriting class. This song was about a zombie apocalypse, inspired by the TV show The Walking Dead. Billie tried some acting auditions but didn't enjoy them. However, she liked recording background voices for movies. She worked on films like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the X-Men series. Billie also took dance classes until 2016. A dance injury stopped her dance career, and she then focused on making music.

Billie Eilish's Music Journey

Starting Out: Don't Smile at Me (2015–2017)

In 2015, when she was 13, Billie Eilish began making songs with her brother Finneas. He had already been writing and producing music for a few years. The first songs they recorded together were "She's Broken" and "Fingers Crossed." Billie remembered, "We recorded them and put them out on SoundCloud, just for fun."

On November 18, 2015, Billie released "Ocean Eyes." Finneas wrote and produced this song. He originally made it for his own band. But he thought it would sound better with Billie's voice. Their dance teacher asked them to write a song for a dance routine. So, they uploaded "Ocean Eyes" to SoundCloud for the teacher to use. The song quickly gained hundreds of thousands of listens. Finneas's manager saw Billie's potential.

In January 2016, Billie signed a deal with Platoon, a company that helps new artists. She then got a publicist and a stylist. These people helped her create her unique look. A music video for "Ocean Eyes" was released in March 2016. Many radio stations and music experts praised Billie and her song.

On June 23, 2016, Billie and Finneas released "Six Feet Under." Billie and her mother, Maggie Baird, made a music video for it. Later in 2016, Billie signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records. These labels re-released "Six Feet Under" and "Ocean Eyes" for wider release.

Eilish performing in August 2017

In January 2017, Billie released EPs with remixes of "Ocean Eyes" and "Six Feet Under." She then released "Bellyache" in February 2017. A video for "Bellyache" came out in March. Billie also released "Bored" as part of the soundtrack for the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why.

On August 11, 2017, Billie released her first EP, Don't Smile at Me. This EP slowly became a big hit. It reached number 14 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Billie went on the Don't Smile at Me Tour to support her EP. She also released a song called "... Broken Hearts" on SoundCloud.

Spotify helped promote Billie by featuring her on popular playlists. Apple Music also named her their "Up Next" artist. This led to a short documentary and interviews. In December 2017, Billie released "&Burn," a song with rapper Vince Staples.

Rising to Fame: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2018–2020)

In February 2018, Billie started her second concert tour, the Where's My Mind Tour. She also released "Lovely" with singer Khalid. This song was also on the soundtrack for 13 Reasons Why. In July 2018, she released "You Should See Me in a Crown."

Eilish at Pukkelpop Festival in 2019

In October 2018, Billie signed a contract for fashion and beauty deals. She was also named to the Forbes "30 Under 30" list. In November 2018, she released "Come Out and Play" for an Apple commercial. By early 2019, Don't Smile at Me had been streamed over 1 billion times on Spotify. This made her the youngest artist to reach this milestone.

In January 2019, Billie released "Bury a Friend" from her upcoming album. She also released "When I Was Older," inspired by the film Roma. In February, YouTube released a mini-documentary series about Billie.

Her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, came out on March 29, 2019. Spotify created a special campaign for the album. It included videos and stories to help fans connect with her music. The album debuted at number one in both the US and UK. Billie became the first artist born in the 2000s to have a number-one album in the US. She also broke a record for having 14 songs on the Hot 100 chart at the same time. The song "Bad Guy" was released with the album. A remix with Justin Bieber came out in July 2019. In August, "Bad Guy" reached number one in the US.

Eilish in 2020 with her brother and collaborator Finneas O'Connell

Billie started her When We All Fall Asleep Tour in April 2019. In August 2019, she worked with Apple Music for "Music Lab: Remix Billie Eilish." This allowed fans to learn how to remix her song "You Should See Me In A Crown." In September 2019, she announced her Where Do We Go? World Tour. This tour started in March 2020 but ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In November 2019, Billie released her next single, "Everything I Wanted." She was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Album of the Year. At 17, she was the youngest artist to be nominated in all four main Grammy categories. Billboard magazine also named her their Woman of the Year for 2019.

Eilish at the ALTer EGO concert in January 2020

On January 14, 2020, it was announced that Billie would perform the theme song for the James Bond film No Time to Die. She became the youngest artist to write and perform a James Bond theme song. It was her first number-one single in the UK. At the 62nd Grammy Awards, she made history again. She became the youngest person to win the four main Grammy categories in the same year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Billie and Finneas performed for online concerts to raise money. In July 2020, Billie released "My Future," her first new song since the Bond theme. In 2020, she was the youngest person on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. She also released a collection of ukuleles with Fender.

In October 2020, Billie announced a livestream concert called Where Do We Go? The Livestream. The money from merchandise sales helped support event crew members affected by the pandemic. She also revealed she was working on new songs. Billie won three Billboard Music Awards that month. In November 2020, she released a new single, "Therefore I Am."

Happier Than Ever and Guitar Songs (2021–2023)

Eilish at the 2021 Met Gala

In January 2021, Billie released "Lo Vas a Olvidar" with Rosalía for the HBO show Euphoria. The documentary film Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry was released in February 2021. It showed an in-depth look at Billie's life as she became famous. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Billie won two awards. She won for her Bond theme song and for "Everything I Wanted."

In 2021, she published a book of her own photographs called By - Billie Eilish. This book shared a personal look into her life.

On April 27, 2021, Billie announced her second album, Happier Than Ever, would be released on July 30. Five singles were released before the album. These included "My Future" and "Therefore I Am." To promote the album, Billie worked with Disney+ on a concert film. It was called Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles. She also started the Happier Than Ever, The World Tour in February 2022.

Eilish during the Happier Than Ever, The World Tour (2022)

Billie started thinking about songs for her third album in December 2021. In 2022, she won her first Academy Award for Best Original Song for "No Time to Die." This made her the first person born in the 21st century to win an Academy Award. That same year, she became the youngest main performer at the Glastonbury and Coachella festivals. She and Finneas also wrote three songs for the Pixar film Turning Red.

In June 2022, Billie performed a new song called "TV" during her tour. She also worked with Apple Music to show a film of one of her concerts. This film allowed fans who missed tickets to experience her show.

In 2023, Billie acted in the TV series Swarm. She played a cult leader and received good reviews for her acting. Billie wrote the song "What Was I Made For?" for the movie Barbie. She said she was inspired after seeing parts of the movie. In 2024, the song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and two Grammy Awards. Billie became the youngest person ever to win two Academy Awards.

New Music: Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024–present)

On April 8, 2024, Billie announced her third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. It was released on May 17, 2024. She also announced a tour to support the album. In April, Billie was featured in the Fortnite spin-off game Fortnite Festival. She also appeared on the web series Chicken Shop Date and hosted a bedtime story for the children's channel CBeebies.

In August, Billie was featured on a remix of Charli XCX's song "Guess." On August 11, 2024, Billie performed "Birds of a Feather" at the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. This was part of the handover to Los Angeles, which will host the Games in 2028.

Billie Eilish's Artistic Style

Music Style and Songwriting

Eilish performing for MTV in 2019

Billie Eilish has a soprano singing voice. Her vocals are often described as "dreamy" or "whispery." Critics say she has a "husky, slurring voice" that can also be very thin. Her music is mainly pop, but it also includes styles like dark pop, electropop, and indie pop. Some experts say her music often talks about feelings of sadness.

Billie and her brother, Finneas, write songs together. Finneas also produces her music and performs with her live. Billie says they like to make up stories and characters in their songs. Many songs also come from their own experiences. They try to write lyrics that are "interesting and conversational." Finneas tries to write songs that Billie will connect with and enjoy singing. When they write together, he helps her tell her stories.

Billie wanted to direct her own music videos from age 14. In 2019, she directed her first music video for her song "Xanny."

Musical Influences

Billie Eilish grew up listening to many different artists. These included the Beatles, Justin Bieber, Green Day, and Lana Del Rey. She says that hearing Aurora's song "Runaway" inspired her to pursue music. Hip hop is her favorite music style and her biggest inspiration.

She has said that Matty Healy of The 1975 was an early inspiration. She also looks up to Tyler, the Creator, Childish Gambino, and Avril Lavigne for music and style. Other artists who influenced her include Adele, Amy Winehouse, Lorde, and Taylor Swift. She has also shown appreciation for Paramore. Billie has said that Rihanna inspired her fashion choices.

Billie Eilish has been compared to artists like Avril Lavigne and Lorde. She has also said that Ariana Grande's 2019 album Thank U, Next inspired her to keep making music.

Billie Eilish's Advocacy Work

Billie Eilish often shares her thoughts on important issues. She is very active in environmental causes. She speaks out about climate change awareness. Billie signed a letter asking world leaders to help with poverty caused by climate change. She also encouraged young people to use technology for environmental action. She hosted a climate seminar in London called Overheated. This event discussed topics like sustainable fashion and youth activism.

Her 2019 song "All the Good Girls Go to Hell" and its video talk about climate change. They use images of heaven and hell to criticize ignoring rising sea levels. She allowed a group called CoralWatch to use "Ocean Eyes" to raise awareness about Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Billie also supports animal rights and veganism. She has criticized the dairy, mink fur, and wool industries. In 2023, Billie stated she chooses not to travel by private jet.

Billie Eilish has also spoken many times about women's rights. She wrote and produced the 2020 short film Not My Responsibility. This film was a response to people criticizing her body and the unfair expectations placed on women's appearances.

In March 2020, Billie encouraged her fans to register to vote for the US presidential election. In August 2020, she performed at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. She announced her support for Joe Biden's presidential campaign.

In 2023, Billie helped start and fund a project to reduce music's carbon footprint. As part of this, she used solar-powered stage lights.

At the 2024 Academy Awards, Billie wore a pin from Artists4Ceasefire. This group calls for peace in the Israel–Hamas war.

In September 2024, she and Finneas supported the Harris-Walz ticket in the 2024 United States presidential election.

Billie Eilish's Personal Life

Billie Eilish lived with her parents in Los Angeles until 2019. She then moved out on her own. She has shared that she was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at age 11. She also has synesthesia, which means her senses mix, and has experienced depression.

Billie Eilish's Music Albums

• When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019)
• Happier Than Ever (2021)
• Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024)

Billie Eilish's Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• Don't Smile at Me Tour (2017)
• Where's My Mind Tour (2018)
• 1 by 1 Tour (2018–2019)
• When We All Fall Asleep Tour (2019)
• Where Do We Go? World Tour (2020)
• Happier Than Ever, The World Tour (2022–2023)
• Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (2024–2025)

Opening Act Tours

• Florence and the Machine – High as Hope Tour (2018)

Billie Eilish's Film and TV Appearances

Images for kids

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  Eilish in 2023

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  Billie Eilish's signature

See Also

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of American Grammy Award winners and nominees
• List of most-followed Instagram accounts
• List of most-streamed artists on Spotify
• List of vegans