Billie Eilish: Everything you need to know about the Glastonbury headliner
The 20-year-old singer has gone from strength to strength since breaking onto the scene in 2015.
Billie Eilish will become Glastonbury Festival’s youngest ever solo headliner when she takes to the Pyramid Stage on Friday night.
The 20-year-old American singer has broken numerous records in her short career.
Here is what you need to know about her
Eilish broke on to the scene in 2015 with her debut single Ocean Eyes, which was written by her brother/producer, Finneas O’Connell.
Born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell, the singer hails from Los Angeles and was raised in a musical family.
A fan of The Beatles and Linkin Park, and inspired by young Norwegian singer Aurora, Eilish began writing songs at the age of 11.
The home-schooled star also joined the Los Angeles Children’s Choir.
After Ocean Eyes, Eilish released a string of singles and made it to number one in the US with Bad Guy.
Her debut album, entitled When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, followed and topped the charts in the US, the UK and a host of other countries.
It was reported to be the highest-selling debut album of 2019 and the biggest North American debut of the decade, shifting 313,000 units in the first week.
Eilish also became the youngest female solo artist to score a number one album in the UK.
She has been open about her struggles with depression and body dysmorphia, but said in an interview in September 2020 that she was in the happiest place of her life.
She told the US edition of Elle magazine: “Two years ago, I felt like nothing mattered; every single thing was pointless.
“Not just in my life, but everything in the whole world. I was fully clinically depressed. It’s insane to look back and not be anymore.”
Eilish celebrated her 18th birthday just weeks before she made Grammy history by becoming the first teenager to win all four major categories.
The superstar singer won the Grammys for record of the year, album of the year, song of the year and best new artist.
Her name was further propelled into the headlines following the news she had been chosen to write and record the James Bond theme song – the youngest artist to do so.
In August 2021, she secured her second number one album after Happier Than Ever rose straight to the top of the UK albums chart.
It made her the first international female artist to reach the top spot with their first two albums since Lana Del Rey seven years ago with her debut Born To Die and 2014 album Ultraviolence.
On February 8 2022, she described her “peak life experience” after her Bond song No Time To Die was nominated for the best original song Oscar.
Eilish won the Brit for best international artist for the third consecutive year on the same day.
No Time To Die also picked up the Grammy award for song written for visual media, the Golden Globe for best original song and the Critics Choice Award (CCA) for best song.
The song then rounded off its success by winning best original song at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27.
Eilish said it was “insane” to be joining the list of Oscar-winning Bond-song writers, adding she had wanted to make Daniel Craig happy “most of all”.
She told the PA news agency she had wanted to make the song “authentic” and not “disrespect the franchise in any way”.
Ahead of headlining Glastonbury, Eilish topped the bill at Coachella in the US in April, bringing out guests Khalid and Damon Albarn for a set that thrilled fans and reviewers.
Her appearance came after she clashed with fellow headliner Kanye West online.
West demanded an apology from the singer after she allegedly made reference to the tragedy at rapper Travis Scott’s performance at Astroworld music festival in Texas last year.
Eilish denied the accusation and West did not ultimately play, although it remains unclear whether he pulled out over the spat.
In the weeks leading up to Glastonbury, Eilish is playing a string of UK and European tour dates and also hosted a climate event, Overheated, at London’s O2 Arena.
