Billie Eilish says Variety outed her: "i like boys and girls leave me alone about it"

The "What Was I Made For?" seemed to address her sexuality in a cover story for the outlet last month

By Emma Keates | December 4, 2023 | 3:46pm

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Billie Eilish Photo: Kevin Winter

Discussing a celebrity’s sexuality—especially a young celebrity still navigating that part of their identity, and especially on a public platform—is always a touchy subject, and Billie Eilish says Variety handled hers poorly.

Back in November, after much fan speculation and a few accusations of queerbaiting, the “Happier Than Ever” singer appeared to address her sexuality in a profile for the outlet. “I’ve never really felt like I could relate to girls very well. I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real,” she said, adding that she was “physically attracted” to the women in her life later in the interview.

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However, at least to Eilish, this wasn’t an official coming out, per se. In a red carpet interview for Variety’s Hitmaker awards, where Eilish and her brother Finneas won Film Song Of The Year for their Grammy-nominated Barbie track “What Was I Made For?,” the outlet once again addressed Eilish’s comments.

Billie Eilish on Her New Upcoming Album and Opens Up About ‘Coming Out’ at Variety’s Hitmakers

“Billie, did you mean to come out in the story?” Variety’s interviewer asks, to which Eilish responds, “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 articles, and I was like, ‘Oh I guess I came out today,’” the singer continued. “It’s exciting to me because I guess people didn’t know, but it’s cool that they know.”

But while Eilish appears happy and giggly in the above video, it seems like that might have been a mask to obfuscate a deeper sense of internal discomfort or frustration. In an Instagram post following the event, Eilish wrote: “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.” While it’s unfortunate that Eilish had to go through this, hopefully her experience will serve as a reminder that no one owes anyone else an explanation about their identity or sexuality, not even A-list celebrities or people who share other parts of their lives with the world. In Eilish’s own words, “literally who cares.”