Entertainment

Billie Eilish: Everything you need to know about the Glastonbury headliner

The California-raised singer has enjoyed a rapid rise to fame.
The California-raised singer has enjoyed a rapid rise to fame. The California-raised singer has enjoyed a rapid rise to fame.

Billie Eilish will become Glastonbury Festival’s youngest ever solo headliner when she takes to the stage at the 2022 event.

The 19-year-old American singer has broken numerous records in her short career.

Here is what you need to know about her:

Eilish has taken the music world by storm since she broke on to the scene in 2015 with her debut single Ocean Eyes, which was written by her brother.

Born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell, the singer hails from Los Angeles and was raised in a musical family.

A fan of The Beatles and Linkin Park, and inspired by young Norwegian singer Aurora, Eilish began writing songs at the age of 11.

Album charts
Album charts Billie Eilish after her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? went to number one (OfficialCharts.com/PA)

The home-schooled star also joined the Los Angeles Children’s Choir.

After Ocean Eyes, Eilish released a string of singles and made it to number one in the US with Bad Guy.

Her debut album, entitled When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, followed and topped the charts in the US, the UK and a host of other countries.

It was reported to be the highest-selling debut album of 2019 and the biggest North American debut of the decade, shifting 313,000 units in the first week.

Eilish also became the youngest female solo artist to score a number one album in the UK.

She has been open about her struggles with depression and body dysmorphia, but said in an interview in September 2020 that she was in the happiest place of her life.

Brit Awards 2020 – Show – London
Brit Awards 2020 – Show – London Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell at the Brit Awards 2020 (Isabel Infantes/PA)

She told the US edition of Elle magazine: “Two years ago, I felt like nothing mattered; every single thing was pointless.

“Not just in my life, but everything in the whole world. I was fully clinically depressed. It’s insane to look back and not be anymore.”

Eilish celebrated her 18th birthday just weeks before she made Grammy history by becoming the first teenager to win all four major categories.

The superstar singer won the Grammys for record of the year, album of the year, song of the year and best new artist.

Her name was further propelled into the headlines following the news she had been chosen to write and record the James Bond theme song – the youngest artist to do so.

No Time To Die Royal World Premiere – London
No Time To Die Royal World Premiere – London Billie Eilish at the world premiere of No Time To Die (Ian West/PA)

Last week she was among the high-profile stars taking to the red carpet for the premiere of No Time To Die at the Royal Albert Hall.

In August, she secured her second number one album after Happier Than Ever rose straight to the top of the UK albums chart.

It made her the first international female artist to reach the top spot with their first two albums since Lana Del Rey seven years ago with her debut Born To Die and 2014 album Ultraviolence.