Billie Eilish Says Her British Vogue Photoshoot Confused Fans and Misrepresented Her Real-Life Style
Billie Eilish is done trying to be something she’s not. The world-famous singer/songwriter has already topped the charts in dozens of countries. Now, she’s embracing newfound freedom of expression, casting off a former persona of admittedly trying to please everyone.
Eilish’s evolving style has confused some fans. But the 20-year-old singer says she’s more confident than ever — even if she occasionally loses disgruntled followers.
Billie Eilish’s 2021 transformation received mostly praise
Following a meteoric rise in popularity as a young performer, Eilish found out how polarizing the entertainment world can be when she ditched her green and black hair for platinum blonde. At first, she received overwhelming support when she debuted the look on Instagram in March 2021. As British Vogue reports, the post was the fastest to ever reach a million likes on Instagram. It hit the mark in just six minutes.
British Vogue followed Eilish’s post by giving her the cover in June. Then, she maintained the Old Hollywood look by turning heads at the Met Gala in September 2021. Even though the initial reaction upon seeing her blonde hair was extremely positive, some were not ready to see Eilish’s Marilyn Monroe-esque curves previously hidden under baggy hoodies. She told Elle she lost about 100,000 followers after the British Vogue cover. The singer believes her large boobs were the culprit.
Not that Eilish will likely miss the followers headed for the fainting couch after seeing a modest amount of skin; according to Socialtracker, Eilish is still in the top 50 worldwide with nearly 100 million Instagram followers and growing.
Eilish embraces her ‘anything goes’ lifestyle
Her change in appearance isn’t necessarily meant to last forever. Eilish talked candidly with Vanity Fair in late November about relishing new aspects of personal expression. After five years in the public sphere, she has welcomed a fresh outlook: “Dress how you want. Act how you want. Talk how you want. Be how you want.”
Instead of being married to the look she had when she became famous, Eilish seems to be basking in newfound freedoms that come with her “anything goes” attitude — a way of living for herself instead of trying to satisfy all of her followers. For Eilish, the new look also gives her some firm ground to reflect upon her former lifestyle.
Looking back at her prior self for the Vanity Fair interview, she quickly saw a young artist not especially honest with herself. At a younger age, Eilish even pretended that the pressure of becoming a sudden superstar didn’t bother her at all — a fiction she no longer bothers with. With a second smash hit studio album, 2021’s Happier Than Ever, still making waves around the world, Eilish is understandably confident in both ability and personal style.
Eilish continues to cross new horizons
A new look, however, doesn’t mean Eilish has ditched the fiery personality millions of fans admite. Although she’s private about her sexuality, letting rumors die on the vine, she still has her say when it comes to the day’s biggest issues.
At the 2021 Austin City Limits festival, Eilish excoriated Texas’ new draconian abortion laws in front of an amped-up crowd, raising a middle finger to lawmakers imposing the radical shift. At the Met Gala, Eilish turned the publicity into a powerful statement about outlawing real fur in fashion. She even convinced her gown’s designer, Oscar de la Renta, to commit to never using real fur again.
With her newly embraced love of novelty, Eilish experienced another milestone in 2021: She joined a list of iconic James Bond singers. Her theme song for the latest James Bond, “No Time to Die,” showed just how big her fan base is and allowed her to reach some new listeners as well. As Official Charts points out, Eilish became the first female Bond singer to open atop the UK charts — something legends Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra, Madonna, and Adele never pulled off.
Backed by a brewing confidence as she explores new styles and opportunities, Eilish faces a promising future.
