Little surprise, the music industry is completely enamored with Billie Eilish and all of the older peeps are convinced that Billie is What The Youths Want. Maybe she is! I am one of the older peeps and I love her too, although I think what the youths like about her is her uniqueness and the idea that what she’s doing can’t really be replicated and homogenized. So, obviously, Billie won all of the major awards last night at the Grammys: she took home Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist. At 18, she becomes the youngest artist to ever sweep those big categories. Her 22-year-old brother Finneas also won Producer of the Year for his work (producing and co-writing) her album.
Billie lowkey has a Gucci contract, right? She’s been wearing head-to-toe custom Gucci for many big events for the past six months or so. The Grammys were no different – Gucci did this custom black and slime-green ensemble for her red carpet look. I would assume that everyone wanted the outfit to match her hair? It’s cute.
Here are some of her awards speeches:
She also performed her song “When the Party’s Over” but obviously the performances from the Grammys are more difficult to find videos for. Billie killed it, but I thought it was slightly odd that she didn’t perform “Bad Guy” considering that was the song which got nominated for everything? In any case, congrats to Billie!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
She deserved single one. First time in years Im actually happy about who won at The Grammys.
I’ve only heard that one song but what I appreciate about this girl is that she does not succumb to pressure to exploit and expose her body as so many women singers feel they have to do. How refreshing.
To each her own. Not all women are modest which is fine, and not always the result of someone pressuring them not to be. She’s tolerant of that and has even called out treatment of those who aren’t like her in that part of being a woman, which is refreshing, balanced, and a protection. Happy for her success.
My daughter is obsessed with Billie – saw her in concert last year in Philly and now I know almost all of her music too! She is a rare talent for sure (as is her sweet brother) and I am so happy for her! I hope she can stay grounded and not get eaten up by that Hollywood machine! She really does have an amazing voice and l look forward to seeing what is next for her, in her career.
KILLING IT.
I’m so impressed with this kid. I hope she achieves everything she wants and more in her career. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, and it seems like a great team around her.
YES, Erinn, same! She is herself.
What’s the difference between album of the year and record of the year?
Record is for producing one song (for music how I understand it well), Song is for lyrics mostly, Album is for well album overall.
I am 5 years older than her, but I find her music juvenile, so it’s imo. I understand why she won, she’s the biggest breakthrough of last year and probably even more, I wish her a big career, but amid sexual assault scandal every win is suspicious, imo too. But every win would be suspicious, honestly. I’m happy that Grammy kinda lose media coverage and overall views, it’s not a main topic on social media and we will discuss red carpet fashion and move on quickly. I’m curious will it damage all award shows in general, Oscars are two weeks forward.
I don’t understand any of your post. Are you suggesting Billie won because of sexual assault charges?
Agreed. What the hell was that post about?
Billie and Finneas won. Shes not a solo artist, no matter how she markets herself. They are a group.
She stated that on Howard Stern last year.Also her brother is more comfortable being the quite one and doesn’t mind the band having her name.
She’s an industry plant. She’s so new in the music scene. How in the hell did she get all three major categories?! Lizzo was already grinding in the music scene for more than 3 yrs before truth hurts which is a two year old song went viral so it makes sense for lizzo. I was honestly confused how she rose to fame. As someone who keeps up with pop culture, people started talking about her on my twitter feed out of nowhere and I just don’t get it.
The whole thing is rather odd.
I honestly do not get her appeal. I only ever hear her one song on the radio. I didn’t know she was a big deal?
Thank God no Taylor Swift.Enough with that one,Billie is a breath of fresh air.
She’s everywhere. She has been everywhere for a while now. I don’t think it’s suspicious, honestly. You can call her an industry plant all you want, but I don’t understand the point of ripping on her achievements in order to elevate someone else. Billie has been releasing music since 2015 – so no, it’s not out of nowhere. She went the route of soundcloud at first, but she’s been EVERYWHERE for a while now.
I’m not sure what’s confusing about it, I guess. She’s been working for years, her brother had industry connections, and just like all the angsty gals before her, the people who are *different* and not singing happy boppy songs tend to get a good deal of mileage. She stands out, and more and more teens are moving away from the cutesy pop or constant breakup songs and clinging to the kinds of stuff Billie puts out.
I was coming here to say the same thing – she released her first song “Ocean Eyes” at age 13, several years ago!! Yes, she and her brother have been working for years, perhaps now they are just more recognized by mainstream media. But it’s not like she just came onto the scene for sure!! And I agree with @Erinn her music is very different than other artists IMO…but I don’t see her as some “industry plant.”
If by plant you mean shoved down our throats then yes. (In my opinion at least).
Anyway, they overdid it with all the awards she got and we can officially start the countdown to the backlash. 3,2,1….
Lizzo was robbed so…pass.
This is Adele winning over Beyonce part 2.
One hundred percent.
Unsurprising and I’m happy for her, though frankly there were better albums out there and find her work fairly overrated for how same-y sounding the songs are.
She’s talented? Yeah, but definitely didn’t deserve all these awards
Congratulations to her. I just think with all of the exposure and crossover, Old Time Road should have one record or song.
Agree. Old Town Road Song of the Year, Lizzo Artist of the Year and Billie – Album of the Year or smt.
As Deborah Dugan(ousted CEO of Recording Academy) said last week the system is “rigged”.There is no way she should have one record,song AND album of the year.
Exactly. There’s no way that Old Town Road didn’t deserve SOTY or ROTY (and I’m speaking as someone who didn’t even like the song). This is problem with the Grammys: with the obvious “revelation” that they’re rigged, it’s even more apparent how racial biases come into play. Black artists are routinely snubbed in the major categories and are made to settle for winning in the “urban” categories. This is why Frank Ocean has done the right thing and ignored the Grammys. I wish more black artists would do the same.
Yeah, I’m sure she’s a nice kid and decently talented, but I’ve heard enough of her music to not find it particularly groundbreaking or sophisticated….which you would expect because she’s A TEENAGER. Once she starts growing into a more mature perspective and sound, this strikes me as something that will frustrate her in retrospect. The blatant racism inherent to who sweeps these categories is so obvious, I don’t even know how people can argue otherwise. BTS, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, etc. also had big years in terms of their cultural relevance, so how the Grammy’s keep pretending they shouldn’t be part of the conversation blows my mind.
It’s a pretty great achievement (depending how much stock you put in the Grammy’s), but I’m kind of wincing at this. Talk about putting a ton of pressure on a teenager. How will she ever “top” this? I hope she has strong support and advocates in her corner. It looks like she has a ton of tour dates this year, and then hopefully she can take a rest.
she won fair and straight. she’s really wonderful as is her brother. You can dislike her music but the talent and the work are there. She’s making music since she was 13. I’m very happy for her.
I didn’t really “get” her until I saw her Carpool Karaoke, funnily enough. But I ended up getting her album and really like a lot of it. She has a very interesting voice, and she and her brother put together interesting songs.
The Grammys never impress me with who wins what, but I’m not surprised she won, she’s had a huge year.
I prefer Aurora. I want to see her on a stage.
Ok, but can she more than whisper sing? I’ve only heard three songs and she whispers them all.
She has a very pretty voice but she is not a belter.
Here’s an example of her outside of a studio setting without mixing etc.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dXiYvaeKzM4
Ok thanks – and I really hate belting and screaming so I’d take “only whispering,” I was just curious.
Oh lord someone else agrees with me. Finally! I can whisper too, so I don’t see what the hype is. All of her songs sound the same to me.
I would ask how much of her music you’ve actually listened to because her catalog of music is pretty dating back to when she started at 13 is pretty varied.
Billie has more talent in her pinky than most do their whole body. She’s humble. She can keep doing her thing and I’m here for it. It’s refreshing for something different.
There was Avril Lavigne, Lorde, and now Billie, although Lorde and Billie are actually good. From time to time comes an “edgy” girl who is oh so different from the Ariannas, Rihannas and Demis. She does have talent, but groundbreaking as a lot of people are saying? Nah.
Former Grammy member here. Nominations and votings are “rigged” from the very beginning in that artists on major labels and/or distributors have more people to vote for them. And then you have certain categories where nominations are done by a committee, closed doors. Grammy bars members from discussing the process, including talking about specific categories or sending out an email asking to vote for an artist/category. Some artists & labels play around with the cut-off date. Majority of members vote for their friends, colleagues, cash cows, and names they recognize. So yes, the system is rigged, even before any manipulations take place, which they do.
I have no doubt…
I’m tired of all award shows at this point.
I mean – this is what I always assumed with most award shows. There are so many non-mainstream artists who are dripping with talent, but commercially don’t have the appeal that the big names have. I think that can probably be said for pretty much any award show, regardless of whether it’s music or movies or whatever else.
It’s obvious that it’s abut the cash cows. Cos I’ve heard better.
At the same time I’m already a bitter old person at only 36- I think when the boy band “music manufacturing” started, everything went straight out the window after that. I’ve been angry and disappointed without fail, ever since (and including then).
I love Billie. She’s crazy talented and is a great blend of edgy and adorable (not to sound condescending, she just seems like a really sweet girl). Her brother Finneas is lovely, too. I’m glad they have each other while going though all of this.
I like some of her stuff. I used to direct the elementary school talent show. Every year there is one musical artist/song that gets overplayed by the kids. Last year the show was overrun with songs by Billie Eilish. I don’t care for the music videos in most cases. I think in her aesthetic she tries too hard. But I like her music overall. Her darker/moodier/ballad pieces are better than her up tempo stuff.
Taking nothing away from Billie but no way was OTR not the song of the year.
Also, BTS continues to be robbed. Asian and Asian American artists have been putting out some of the best Pop, hip hop, and r&b for years now.
Lol. No they haven’t. Now if you mean they have been putting out the best derivative hip hip, R&B and pop then sure.
@Elle Best hip hop and R&b??? This comment is wrong from top to bottom. Most of it is music by the numbers.
I’m happy for her, but feel that the gauze faux-surgical mask is in kind of poor taste? My understanding is that there’s a shortage of real surgical masks in Wuhan.
seriously?
I know.Weird comment.
Lol get a grip
Yeah, I thought they deserved 3 of the wins. I wouldn’t give any individual wins to “Bad Guy” over the competition and I honestly think they probably awarded her for other works in those slots. Then again, the same could be said for Ariana winning for “7 Rings” since they didn’t nominate her much better song “Thank U, Next”. It’s just kind of an industry mess as we’d probably be having a similar conversation had Lizzo won for “Truth Hurts” a song that was released in 2017.
I saw her live about a year or so ago…she opened for Florence + the Machine and was totally unremarkable. No energy whatsoever. I….do not get this.
Billie is talented…doesn’t change the fact that most of the other AOTY nominees were a bit more critically acclaimed (look at the Metacritic scores…plus Lana’s album topped like 95% of the best of year lists). One could make the argument for sales, sure, but Ariana sold nearly as much….and it’s insanely ridiculous that Old Town Road, whether one likes it or not, didn’t win ROTY…ROTY is about production + impact and what other song combined NIN, country, and rap with a record setting #1 streak on the BB100 chart.
Nearly every music blog and journalist predicted that OTR would win ROTY…but of course the Grammys gave it to the white teenager whose song wasn’t as successful and wasn’t as innovative in production. That’s the reason people are a bit annoyed, not because they don’t think Billie is talented, but they think it’s ridiculous that an 18 year old white girl with one album, which is critically acclaimed but not the most critically acclaimed even in the year she was nominated, won all four major general fields when no other woman has done so before in the same year (not Adele, not Beyonce, not Mariah, etc.). Especially when you consider that Beyonce has never won AOTY, either. It’s also a sharp contrast with Lizzo, who like it or not objectively has stronger vocals, can play the flute, and has been grinding for ten years, getting shut out of all the main categories when people thought she was guaranteed to at least snatch one award in the main field (she won outside the main four). In terms of optics, it’s a bad look for an awards board often accused of racism and ageism…and when you add in the critical reviews/sales (Truth Hurts and OTR did more as singles, which should have helped them in ROTY and SOTY)…it becomes worse.
The again, it is the Grammys. This happens all the time….I do feel bad for Billie, though. She’s talented, but the Grammys just stuck her on an impossible pedestal and the music critics (who expected her to win some categories, even AOTY, but not sweep)…some of them were already making low key snarky remarks on twitter. I have a feeling the bar is going to be set impossibly high for her next album.
@Div
Agreed with every word.