Billie Eilish From Apathetic Teen to Powerful Role Model

Billie Eilish is sitting at a picnic table on the edge of a gravel road in Nashville, Tennessee, contemplating her place in the universe. The sun has dipped below the horizon, and her face is illuminated by the flame of a lighter that she just picked up off the ground. Flick. Flick. Repeatedly igniting the spark wheel, she stares at the glowing ball of light as she wrestles with her own outlook on life. Yes, the whole scene is as spooky and dramatic as it sounds.

From Apathetic to Purposeful: A Shift in Perspective

Eilish admits that she used to feel somewhat apathetic, unsure if she could actually affect the world in a meaningful way. And if you go back to her early interviews, you’ll see that she used to resist the idea of becoming a role model. But today, at 22 years old, she’s thinking differently. “I fucking hope that I’m a role model now!” she says with a laugh. Flick. Flick.

Navigating Fame and Finding Her Voice

It’s the evening of November 7, just two days after the conclusion of a presidential election in which Eilish endorsed Kamala Harris. Upon learning of Donald Trump’s victory, she shared a message to her 120 million followers on Instagram (“It’s a war on women”) and told a sold-out Nashville crowd that “someone who hates women so deeply is about to be President of the United States of America.”

At an age when many people are still at a complete loss about what they want to do in life, Eilish is nearly a decade into her career, and she’s coming to terms with the power of her own voice. It’s why she’s doing things like co-founding climate conferences and leading the charge on sustainability efforts within the music industry. But when it comes to her true purpose in life? The reason she believes she was put on Earth? That’s always remained the same: making pop songs that cut to the brutal core of the human experience in a way that connects deeply with her fans.

The Evolution of Billie Eilish: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT

This May, the LA native released her third studio album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, which is anchored by the most honest songwriting of her career. For years, she talked about “hating” the act of songwriting, and her brother Finneas would often steer the ship in the studio. But something changed this time around. While Finneas battled through his own lack of inspiration, Eilish found herself enjoying the process more than ever. So she threw herself at it, even trying her hand at production, and ended up with a collection of songs about love, lust, heartbreak, and self-discovery that she describes as the most “me” album she’s ever made. In February, it will be up for six Grammy Awards.

Reflecting on Life’s Big Questions

Do you think about questions like that a lot? Like, “What happens when we die? Why are we here? What does it all mean?”
I’m a girl. I’ve been thinking about that shit since I was like 5. It’s an endless question. I remember being literally 4 years old and being like, “Why am I who I am?” And it’ll never be answered. At a certain point, you have to just let it go.

Discovering Purpose: Fighting to Make a Difference

While we’re asking big questions, what do you think your purpose is? Why are you here?
On Earth?

Yeah, it’s a fucked-up question. [Laughs.] I’m sorry.
It’s funny; I’ve never seen the world like that. I’ve never been an “everything happens for a reason” girl. I’ve been a believer in “things are going to happen the way they’re going to happen and there’s nothing we can do about