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her dance teacher. Somehow it went viral. (Ultimately Billie had to stop dancing due to
a severe hip injury, causing her to focus more on singing.) Then, her song “Bored” was
used on the first season of the controversial-yet-popular teen Netflix show 13 Reasons
Why, which only brought her more attention. Since then, her following has continued
to grow astronomically, making her what she is today: a pop icon.
Interestingly, in 2018 Eilish revealed on her Instagram story that she has Tourette
Syndrome manifesting in physical tics, which she largely has under control but can still
occur during moments of stress. She also revealed to Rolling Stone (language) that she
has synesthesia (neurosensory wire-crossing in which senses seem to blend together),
which she described like this:
“Every person I know has their own color and shape and number in my head, but
it’s normal to me,” she says. Finneas, for example, is an orange triangle, although
the name “Finneas” is dark green. And her song “Bad Guy” “is yellow, but also
red, and the number seven,” she says. “It’s not hot, but warm, like an oven. And it
smells like cookies.”
A symbol of Gen Z angst, Eilish is known for her “couldn’t care less about convention”
attitude, her androgynous fashion choices, her tough exterior, and her strong conviction
to do everything her own way. Eilish revealed that she hates to smile, especially if she
feels like it’s within the context of a social obligation because it makes her “feel weak
and powerless and small.”
As successful as she already is, it’s important to remember she’s still a teenager. She
recently got her driver’s license and lives with her parents in Highland Park, Los Angeles
in the home she grew up in. Her parents both go on tour with her and have professional
tour-staff positions (for which they’re paid reasonable salaries; they’re not using Billie’s
fame to profit for themselves). They’re also trying to keep her as healthy and grounded
as possible in the midst of the stress that comes with fame and touring.
A highly strong-willed and sensitive person, Eilish revealed in an interview that she
believes she would have been a bully if she had gone to school, rather than being
homeschooled. She comes across as rather aloof, even cocky, but there is conviction
behind her music and her persona. She has been open about her own struggles with
depression, self-harm, and night terrors. As rough around the edges as she may be, and
as dark as her delivery may be, at the core, her message is that it’s okay to be yourself
and that everyone deals with fear and difficult situations in their lives.
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