‘I have never felt desired’: Billie Eilish discusses her body confidence issues, not being wanted by past boyfriends and feeling ‘trapped’ by the persona she’s created
She’s one of the most popular music artists in the world right now, having secured a UK and US number one with her debut album and becoming the youngest person and first woman to win the four main Grammy categories among other accolades.
But amid her success, Billie Eilish has revealed that she’s riddled with body confidence issues and shared that boyfriends in the past never made her feel ‘desired’.
In a candid new interview with GQ magazine, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter also opened up about her signature look, explaining that at times she feels ‘trapped’ in the persona she’s created.
Candid: Amid her success, Billie Eilish has revealed that she’s riddled with body confidence issues and shared that boyfriends in the past never made her feel ‘desired’
Despite appearing confident on stage with her spine-tingling performances, away from the spotlight Billie fights with her self-confidence, adding that she dresses the way she does so that she’s not judged by society.
It stems, she says, from not feeling physically ‘desired’ by her exes, adding that this feeling has been a ‘big thing’ in her life.
She told the publication: ‘Here’s a bomb for you: I have never felt desired. My past boyfriends never made me feel desired. None of them. And it’s a big thing in my life that I feel I have never been physically desired by somebody.
‘So I dress the way I dress as I don’t like to think of you guys – I mean anyone, everyone – judging it, or the size of it. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t wake up one day and decide to wear a tank top, which I have done before.’
Style: In a candid new interview with GQ magazine, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter opened up about her signature look, explaining that at times she feels ‘trapped’ in the persona she’s created
With her lime green and black hair and loose-fitting, casual ensembles, Billie has carved out a signature look that no doubt gets her recognised wherever she goes.
However, despite legions of fans admiring and emulating her style, the Bad Guy singer admitted that she now feels that she’s become ‘trapped’ in the image she’s built.
She said: ‘Sometimes I dress like a boy. Sometimes I dress like a swaggy girl. And sometimes I feel trapped by this persona that I have created, because sometimes I think people view me not as a woman.’
The star also told how she went through a period in her life when she wanted to be like everyone else, but added that the feeling didn’t last very long.
Honest: ‘Here’s a bomb for you: I have never felt desired. My past boyfriends never made me feel desired. None of them. And it’s a big thing in my life that I feel I have never been physically desired by somebody’
She described going into ‘trendy shops’ so she could wear what was considered ‘trendy’ just so she could fit in with her peers at school.
However, Ocean Eyes hitmaker recalled that this was a ‘very uncomfortable year’ year for her, furthermore stating that she struggled to interact with her ‘rich’ friends.
Adding that she never felt completely at ease with ‘looking like other people’, she went on to say that her desire to be like others disappeared ‘pretty fast.’
Meanwhile, Billie admits to being happily single for ‘months’ and finds herself ‘not attracted to people anymore’.
Stating she doesn’t know why she feels that way, she has no problems with it, musing that it’s ‘actually kind of dope.’
Read the full feature in the July/August issue of British GQ, available via digital download and on newsstands Friday 5th June
‘Trapped’: Sometimes I dress like a boy. Sometimes I dress like a swaggy girl. And sometimes I feel trapped by this persona that I have created’