Billie Eilish breaks silence after coming out: “I didn’t realize people didn’t know”

Billie Eilish has become one of the music industry’s most recognisable voices and figures over the last few years, with her instant success after bursting onto the scene as a teenager already leading to seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe and an Oscar by the age of 21. With such success comes fame and familiarity, although perhaps not quite as much as Eilish herself thought.

In her Power of Women cover story for Variety last month, the singer came out, telling the magazine’s social media editor Katcy Stephan: “I love girls so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real. I’m physically attracted to them. But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”

Eilish inadvertently comes out to Variety

At Variety’s Hitmakers event on Saturday, reporter Tiana DeNicola caught up with Eilish on the red carpet, with the “Bad Guy” singer explaining that she hadn’t actually meant to come out in her previous interview.

“No, I didn’t. But I kind of thought, ‘Wasn’t it obvious?’ I didn’t realize people didn’t know. I just don’t really believe in it. I’m just like, ‘Why can’t we just exist’? I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I just didn’t talk about it. Whoops.

“I saw the article, and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I came out today.’ OK, cool. It’s exciting to me because I guess people didn’t know, but it’s cool that they know. But I’m nervous talking about it! But no, I am for the girls.”

Eilish hits out at Variety on Instagram

Although the singer appeared upbeat, jovial and happy to speak about her sexuality in her red carpet interview, she later took to Instagram to seemingly voice her unhappiness about the line of questioning from Variety.

“Thanks, Variety, for my award and for also outing me on a red carpet at 11 am instead of talking about anything else that matters. I like boys and girls, leave me alone about it, please. Literally who cares.”

Singer “Happier Than Ever?”

Eilish previously dated male rapper 7:AMP, revealing in an AppleTV+ documentary in 2021 the pair separated because she “just wasn’t happy and didn’t want the same things he wanted.” She then had a seven-month relationship with The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford, with a rep for the singer explaining they had “split amicably and remain good friends” in May this year.

Following her recent revelations, is Eilish now “Happier Than Ever?”