Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell[1][2] (/ˈaɪˌlɪʃ/ AHY-lish; born December 18, 2001)[3] is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is currently signed to Interscope Records.
Billie Eilish | |
|---|---|
 Billie Eilish in 2023 | |
| Born | Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell December 18, 2001 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2015-present |
| Height | 161 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Finneas O'Connell (brother) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | Finneas |
| Website | billieeilish |
Career
On November 18, 2015, Eilish released the song "Ocean Eyes". The track was written, mixed and produced by her brother Finneas. She released her first EP, don't smile at me, in 2017.[4]
Her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, was released on March 29, 2019. It features the songs "Bury a Friend", "You Should See Me in a Crown", "When the Party's Over", "Wish You Were Gay", and her first number-one hit, "Bad Guy". The album reached number one in the UK, making her the youngest woman to top the UK Albums Chart.[5]
In February 2020, Eilish released her single "No Time to Die", the official James Bond theme for the movie of the same name. Seventeen years old at the time of recording, Eilish is the youngest artist to have recorded a James Bond theme in the history of the franchise.[6][7] For this, she won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2022.
Her second studio album, Happier Than Ever, was released July 30, 2021.[8]
On July 13, 2023, she released the song "What Was I Made For?" for the soundtrack of the movie Barbie. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 96th Academy Awards, making her the youngest person to win two Academy Awards.[9]
Music style
Eilish's musical style has been compared to New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde and American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey.[10]
Her songs are considered dark. She suffered with depression and suicidal thoughts at age 11 and expresses her depression through her music. She has been accused of romanticizing death and mental illness.
Artistry
Eilish has a three octave soubrette soprano vocal range. She has a soft, light, and airy voice that has become synonymous with an entire style of singing. As Eilish has risen to incredible career heights, she has likewise inspired many aspiring musicians and singers to mimic her artistry. She is well-known for her sensitive and emotive deliveries on songs like “When The Party’s Over,” she has also committed to colorful character deliveries like on her signature hit “Bad Guy.” While she has come under criticism for her “whispery” vocals, Eilish demonstrates considerable control of her instrument.
When Eilish sings low notes below G3 at a soft volume, she drop her breath support to phonate, but when singing at a louder or medium volume, she can carry a fuller tone down to E3. This shows that she has the capability to sing with “better” technique, she may purposefully opt not to in order to further her emotional deliveries.
This raises the point that as Eilish often sings at very soft volumes, it has led some to take digs at her vocals for being simply “whispers”, with a converse preference for louder vocalists. She proves, however, that singing softly can be every bit as valuable as singing loudly, as she demonstrates not only exceptional phrasing and musicianship in these passages but also great technical control to articulate words and phrases with the sound rarely cutting out. Even when exceptionally soft, she can relax her body enough to allow her natural, wispy vibrato to shine through.
Discography
Albums
- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019)
- Happier Than Ever (2021)
- Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024)
Extended plays
- Don't Smile at Me (2017)
Awards
Grammy Awards
Eilish became the youngest artist to win all four of the major categories (the “Big Four” – Album, Record, and Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) at the Grammy Awards in 2020.[11] She has won five awards from six nominations.[12]
| Year | Award Ceremony | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 62nd Annual Grammy Awards | Herself | Best New Artist | Won |
| “Bad Guy” | Song of the Year | Won | ||
| Record of the Year | Won | |||
| Best Pop Solo Performance | Nominated | |||
| When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? | Album of the Year | Won | ||
| Best Pop Vocal Album | Won |
Personal life
Eilish has an older brother, Finneas, who works with her on her musical projects. She was part of the Los Angeles Children's Chorus and was home-schooled with her brother.[2] Her mother is actress Maggie Baird.
Billie Eilish Media
Eilish with her mother, Maggie Baird, in November 2018
Eilish performing in August 2017
Eilish at Pukkelpop Festival in 2019
Eilish in 2020 with her brother and collaborator Finneas O'Connell
Eilish at the ALTer EGO concert in January 2020
Eilish at the 2021 Met Gala
Eilish during the Happier Than Ever, The World Tour (2022)
Eilish performing in MTV in 2019
Eilish performing in November 2019 at Corona Capital
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References
- ↑ Savage, Mark (2017-07-15) (in en-GB). Is Billie Eilish pop's best new hope?. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40580489. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Who's Billie Eilish?". The FADER. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
- ↑ "UPI Almanac for Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018". UPI. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
- ↑ "Billie Eilish". SoundCloud. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
- ↑ McIntyre, Hugh. "Billie Eilish Makes History As The Youngest Female Solo Artist To Score A No. 1 U.K. Album". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
- ↑ Goodman, Jessica (February 6, 2020). Oscars 2020: Billie Eilish to have "special performance" at the Academy Awards. KNXV-TV. https://www.abc15.com/entertainment/events/oscars-2020-billie-eilish-to-have-special-performance-at-the-academy-awards. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
- ↑ Snapes, Laura (January 14, 2020). "James Bond: Billie Eilish to provide No Time to Die theme". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jan/14/james-bond-billie-eilish-to-provide-no-time-to-die-theme. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
- ↑ Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish, retrieved 2021-08-08
- ↑ "Billie Eilish becomes youngest person to win 2 Oscars". ABC News. March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ↑ Bassil, Ryan; Staff, Noisey UK (2019-04-04). "Billie Eilish and the Rise of Moody Pop". Noisey. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (November 20, 2019). "Grammy Awards: All the Artists Who've Been Nominated in the Big 4 Categories in the Same Year". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8544181/artists-nominated-big-4-categories-grammy-awards. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (2020-01-27). "How Pop's Biggest Weirdo Swept the Grammys". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2020-01-28.