Billie Eilish discussed the fallout from losing 100,000 Instagram followers after sharing a specific photo.
When Billie Eilish first emerged in the music industry, her distinctive style featured loose-fitting pants and tops.
Much like everyone’s fashion choices evolve over time—considering past fashion faux pas like fishnet gloves, fluorescent leg warmers, and caps—Eilish’s style has also transformed. However, not all of her fans have welcomed these changes.
The photo that sparked significant online controversy was from a British Vogue photoshoot in June 2021.
Before unveiling her new look on the magazine’s cover, she told the outlet: “I’ve literally never done anything in this realm at all. Y’know, besides when I’m alone and s**t.”
The cover featured Eilish with bright blonde hair, wearing a corset, a tight-fitting skirt, and gloves.
Many fans praised the post, calling Eilish ‘amazing,’ but others were less pleased. The singer later revealed that she lost a staggering 100,000 Instagram followers after sharing the image.
In an interview with Elle USA that year, she said: “I lost 100,000 followers just because of the boobs.”
According to IGV Official, not only did Eilish lose 100,000 followers, but she lost them within an hour of posting the image, with her follower count allegedly dropping from 73 million to 72.9 million.
Despite the initial backlash, Eilish has since amassed over 100 million followers on Instagram, illustrating that follower numbers aren’t everything.
However, Eilish later opened up about the emotional toll of fans wanting her to remain as she was when she first started in the music scene, noting its effect on her mental health.
She remarked: “People hold on to these memories and have an attachment. But it’s very dehumanizing.”
In a 2023 interview with Variety, Eilish further discussed people’s fixation on her appearance.
She said: “I have big boobs. I’ve had big boobs since I was nine years old, and that’s just the way I am. That’s how I look.
“You wear something that’s at all revealing, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, but you didn’t want people to sexualize you?’ You can suck my a**! I’m literally a being that is sexual sometimes. F**k you!
“Nobody ever says a thing about men’s bodies. If you’re muscular, cool. If you’re not, cool. If you’re rail thin, cool. If you have a dad bod, cool. If you’re pudgy, love it! Everybody’s happy with it. You know why? Because girls are nice. They don’t give a f**k because we see people for who they are!”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.