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Latest News: Billie Eilish Makes History with Oscar Win
Billie Eilish achieved a historic milestone at the Academy Awards on March 10, winning the Oscar for Best Original Song for her poignant track, “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie movie soundtrack. This victory marks Eilish’s second Oscar win in this category, making her the youngest artist in history to receive multiple Academy Awards. She previously won for the James Bond theme song “No Time to Die” in 2022. The record for the youngest multi-time Oscar recipient was formerly held by actress Luise Rainer, who was 28 years old when she won her second award in 1938.
During the ceremony, Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, delivered a live performance of the song, earning a standing ovation from the audience. In addition to the Oscar, “What Was I Made For?” also claimed the Grammy Award for Song of the Year earlier in 2024.
Who Is Billie Eilish?
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Billie Eilish first gained widespread attention as a teenager with her viral hit “Ocean Eyes.” Collaborating with her brother, Finneas O’Connell, Eilish produced the breakout EP Don’t Smile at Me and the acclaimed album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, solidifying her status as a global music sensation. Before turning 20, she amassed seven Grammy Awards, and to date, she has won nine. Eilish is celebrated for hits such as “Bad Guy,” “Everything I Wanted,” and “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack.
Early Life and Family
Billie Eilish was born on December 18, 2001, in Los Angeles, with the full name Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell. Her first name honors her maternal grandfather, William, while her middle name was inspired by a documentary about conjoined twins. The surname “O’Connell” comes from her older brother, Finneas, who insisted on its inclusion.
Eilish’s parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O’Connell, were both actors before joining their daughter’s professional team. Growing up in a modest two-bedroom home in Highland Park, where she and Finneas were homeschooled, Eilish was encouraged to explore her passions, which included dance, gymnastics, horseback riding, and especially music. She learned to play the Beatles’ “I Will” on the ukulele at the age of six, joined the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus at eight, and began writing songs earnestly by eleven, with her talents cultivated through her mother’s songwriting class. One of her first significant compositions, “Fingers Crossed,” emerged around this time, inspired by an episode of The Walking Dead.
Brother Finneas O’Connell
Four-and-a-half years older than Billie, Finneas O’Connell has been an essential collaborator, co-writer, and producer for his sister. The duo continues to compose and record together from their bedroom in Highland Park, even after Eilish’s rise to international fame.
“Probably 75-80 percent of the songs are written with us sitting next to each other at a piano or with a guitar, singing a melody together,” Finneas shared in a 2019 interview with Variety. “It’s like a relay race—we both feel we have to contribute our best to reach the finish line.”
In addition to his work with Eilish, Finneas released the solo EP Blood Harmony in October 2019 and has co-written and produced tracks for other prominent artists, including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Camila Cabello.
Albums and Songs
“Ocean Eyes”
Originally crafted for Finneas’ band, “Ocean Eyes” gained new life when it was paired with the ethereal vocals of a 13-year-old Billie Eilish. Upon its release on SoundCloud in November 2015, the song quickly became a viral sensation. This success was followed by another SoundCloud offering, “Six Feet Under.” Eilish’s growing popularity led to her signing with Darkroom Records in summer 2016, which subsequently re-released both tracks as singles later that year.
Don’t Smile at Me
Eilish’s rise to fame accelerated with the gradual release of singles from her August 2017 EP, Don’t Smile at Me. Tracks such as “Bellyache,” “Copycat,” and “My Boy” illustrated her willingness to explore darker themes against a backdrop of shifting, danceable electronic beats. The EP peaked at an impressive No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart in January 2019, marking Eilish as the youngest artist to achieve over 1 billion streams on Spotify.
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and “Bad Guy”
The March 2019 release of Eilish’s debut full-length album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, was accompanied by the launch of “Bad Guy,” which emerged as a career-defining megahit. The chart-topping album retained the distinctive hallmarks of her style, featuring whispered reflections on substance use in “Xanny” and striking imagery in “Bury a Friend.” Eilish’s theatricality was further showcased in captivating music videos, including “When the Party’s Over,” where she sings while black liquid pours from her eyes, and “You Should See Me in a Crown,” featuring a spider crawling from her mouth.
James Bond Soundtrack: “No Time to Die”
In January 2020, it was announced that the 18-year-old Eilish had become the youngest artist to write and record the title track for a James Bond film. The haunting ballad “No Time to Die” was released the following month, just before the film’s premiere was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The track became her first single to reach the top of the U.K. charts and later won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2022. Eilish has also contributed to other soundtracks, including “Bored” and “Lovely” for the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, and “When I Was Older” for Alfonso Cuarón’s 2018 film Roma.
“What Was I Made For?”
A collaboration with her brother, Finneas O’Connell, “What Was I Made For?” is Eilish’s latest hit, written for the 2023 Barbie movie. The song reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning the siblings nominations for a Golden Globe, Grammy, and Academy Award.
Awards
Eilish began receiving major accolades in 2019, winning at the MTV Video Awards and American Music Awards and being named Billboard’s Woman of the Year. However, her landmark achievement occurred at the January 2020 Grammy Awards, where she became the first woman and only the second artist ever to sweep the four major categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist, adding Best Pop Vocal Album to her accolades. At the 2021 Grammy Awards, she secured two awards, including Record of the Year for “Everything I Wanted.”
In January 2024, Eilish received her second Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie (2023). At the 2024 Grammy Awards, the song earned her and Finneas O’Connell two awards for Song of the Year and Best Song Written For Visual Media. “What Was I Made For?” was also nominated and won at the 2024 Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
Clothes and Style
Eilish is recognized for her signature oversized clothing, a style that emerged from her discomfort with body image and positioned her as a counterpoint to the polished pop star image. To cater to the demand for her unique apparel, she launched her online shop, Blohsh, in early 2018 and solidified her place in the fashion industry by signing with Next Models later that same year.
Tours and Documentary
Eilish embarked on her first headlining tour to promote Don’t Smile at Me in the fall of 2017, returning to the stage frequently over the next two years. However, her 2020 Where Do We Go? Tour was cut short and ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also garnered attention for her performances at major music festivals, including Coachella and Glastonbury in 2019.
Her tumultuous schedule and life under the spotlight were explored in the February 2021 documentary Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, which features childhood footage, family interviews, and the creative process behind her debut album.
Personal and Social Issues
A lifelong vegetarian, Eilish transitioned to a vegan diet in 2014. She has been candid about her mental health struggles, revealing in an interview with Gayle King in early 2020 that she had considered suicide despite her rising fame. Additionally, she disclosed in November 2018 that she had been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome as a child.
Eilish is also an outspoken advocate for environmental issues. In 2019, she collaborated with actor Woody Harrelson on a video addressing the dangers of climate change. She has encouraged her fans to engage in civic participation, notably partnering with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2018 to register high school students to vote.