Billie Eilish’s brother, producer says Brisbane his favourite Australian city

The brother of Billie Eilish and powerhouse producer behind some of the decade’s biggest hits has revealed the unusual reasons why Brisbane is his favourite Aussie city.

The powerhouse producer behind some of the decade’s biggest hits named his favourite Australian city, to the anger of some.

Finneas O’Connell was touring the country for Laneway Festival when asked on The Project what his favourite stop had been.

“I have always had a really good time in Brisbane … always a great time in Brisbane and everybody gets mad about that.”

Billie Eilish’s brother and powerhouse producer, Finneas O’Connel has said Brisbane is his favourite Australian city. Picture: Network 10.

The brother and music producer of Billie Eilish didn’t mention the weather, architecture or proximity to the coast and hinterland as to why the River City topped his list, but the “urban planning.”

“There’s like that South Bank beach front - I made a joke about it onstage in Brisbane. I was like, ‘I went swimming last night at the South Bank, like, public pool’, and they booed,” he said.

Finneas appeared to wince at a question and gesticulation from Waleed Aly. Picture: Network 10.

Host Sarah Harris retorted that Finneas “really shouldn’t swim in there,” saying with the amount of children in a public pool one “doesn’t swim in water mostly.”

“I think it’s mostly urine,” said the Oscar and Grammy award winner sarcastically.

Co-host Sam Taunton noted his fasciation in that the “most rock and roll thing” Finneas thought was cool about the city was the urban planning bringing a laugh from the panel and audience.

Finneas O’Connell was touring the country for Laneway Festival. Picture: Network 10

He told the panel he would “love” to work on more screen soundtracks and dreams of writing a stage musical to which Waleed Aly appeared to asked if he would “go like ‘I’m getting real musical?’” while making jazz hands or produce a more avant-garde production.

The producer winced at the question and gesticulation before responding he would just like to write “great songs about the characters and what they’re going through.”

Finneas O’Connell and Billie Eilish accept the Music (Original Song) award for No Time to Die during the 94th Annual Academy Awards. Picture: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Finneas and sister, Eilish, toured Australia last September and the pair famously sampled the rapid tick you will hear at Sydney pedestrian crossings in Eilish’s debut hit Bad Guy.

Finneas released his debut solo studio album Optimist in 2021 ahead of his solo performances in Australia, both receiving favourable reviews.