Billie Eilish, the Grammy-winning artist, has candidly shared the challenges she’s faced with the price of fame, echoing Shakespeare’s words from Henry IV Pt 2: “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Eilish, who shot to global fame while still a teenager, discussed the profound sense of loneliness and isolation that followed her rapid ascent.
In a revealing conversation on the BBC podcast Miss Me?, hosted by Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver, Eilish delved into the emotional complexities that her fame has ushered in. “Well, I lost all of my friends when I got famous,” she admitted. “I suddenly was famous, and I couldn’t relate to anybody. It was tough. It was really hard.”
Eilish shared a particularly poignant moment from her 20th birthday party, a stark reminder of her reality. She looked around and realized, “And then it was my 20th birthday and I remember looking around the room and it was only people that I employ. And all 15 years or more older than me.” Compounding the loneliness, one of her employees quit soon after, which deeply affected her. “And it was the worst thing that happened to me,” she said, realizing that to them, her relationship was merely professional: “If they left me, they would never see me again.”
Despite these struggles, Eilish has not given up on forging meaningful connections. She cherishes her enduring friendship with Zoe and has actively worked on expanding her social circle. “Exactly a year ago, I reconnected with a bunch of old friends and now, I have so many friends,” Eilish shared. “I have a crew now! I could literally cry about it. It’s been the greatest thing that’s happened to me.”
A touching testament to her renewed social life was a trip to Coachella festival with her friends, which moved her to tears. Recalling the emotional moment, Eilish said, “I was like, ‘Guys, I have friends and I just love you guys so much, and it’s been so long since I’ve had friends’. I cried… and it’s literally because I actually have friendship now again.”
Eilish, along with her brother Finneas, has not only navigated the turbulent waters of fame but also made history as the youngest artists to win two Oscars, for Best Original Song from ‘No Time to Die’ and ‘What Was I Made For?’ Her journey underscores the complex interplay of fame and personal happiness, revealing that even global stars crave simple human connections.