What Billie Eilish Thinks a Role Model ‘Should Be’

Article Highlights:

• Celebrities are “just random people”
• Billie Eilish is torn between sharing with her fans and wanting to live a private life
• “Just listen to the music and shut the f*** up about my life”

Whether she likes it or not (she doesn’t), all eyes are on Billie Eilish. The “Ocean Eyes” singer was catapulted into fame at the age of 15. Now, at 19, she has some thoughts about what a famous person owes to their fans and what being a role model should entail.

Billie Eilish says role models ‘should be realistic’

In an interview with Vice this month, the “Bad Guy” singer mused on what it means to be a celebrity — an accidental role model. She believes the onus is on the fans to manage their expectations.

“It should be realistic,” she said. “The problem is when people have unattainable role models, or dream of an unattainable life, or an unattainable face and an unattainable body, and that’s not healthy, for kids especially. We’re all real people. I think when people see celebrities on the internet, or social media, they don’t see them as real people or human beings – and I catch myself doing this too – they see them as characters. When really we’re all just random people in our cars trying to keep it together.”

Billie Eilish knows there’s a lot of power and privilege in her position, but she didn’t ask for it

As much as Eilish and every other celebrity are “just random people,” she recognizes the power in having a voice many want to listen to.

“It’s conflicting though, because you think about people who don’t have any way to be heard at all, and you think about them, and you think about it from their perspective and they see people in the limelight and you can imagine how antsy they feel about others who have the opportunity,” she said. “It’s tough because it’s a little unfair that everyone in the limelight is expected to be an activist and to change the world because we can’t! We can say stuff and people can listen and we have a platform but we can only do so much. That’s conflicting. I feel for the people who have such strong determination to change the world but aren’t afforded the same privileges as me.”

But, at the same time, the “Oxytocin” singer feels “artists should be allowed to just make art.”

“I don’t want to be cocky but I feel like I have done, or at least I’ve tried, to spread, as you say, love and positivity, and I’ve gone out of my way to use my platform to the best of my ability, and often I don’t think anyone gives a s***,” she said. “You try to help and spread a message but someone’s still going to call you a fat cow in the comments.”

‘I’m just a random girl who likes to sing’

The “Male Fantasy” singer is still figuring out her place as a celebrity. She feels close to her fans and used to love sharing different parts of her life with them, but the more well known she becomes, the more she wants to shrink back.

“I don’t want to read about Billie Eilish doing this or that from someone who doesn’t know s*** about me,” she said. “Like, please. I want to make music. I get annoyed about it. But it’s funny. Why do people need to have an opinion about everything I do or say or wear or look like and f****** feel? I just want to make music. I’m just a random girl who likes to sing. It’s not that deep. Just listen to the music and shut the f*** up about my life.”

“It’s a tough responsibility because it’s also not my responsibility,” she continued. “I don’t owe anyone anything.”