Billie Eilish opens up about her sexuality as album release approaches

The multi award-winning star behind Barbie hit ‘What Was I Made For’ has given explicit details about how she came to terms with her sexual orientation.

Grammy-winning pop star Billie Eilish “didn’t realise people didn’t know” she was gay and never planned to talk about it much, she once said.

“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,” she said in a red carpet interview with Variety in December.

Two weeks prior to that she told Variety that she’s “attracted” to women in the November cover story.

Now she is opening up even more about her sexual preference, adding explicit detail to her earlier declaration, “I am for the girls”.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Eilish discusses her forthcoming song Lunch, which details her being intimate with another woman.

Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell told Rolling Stone that Interscope record executives “shifted in their seats listening to it.”

.@billieeilish Would Like to Reintroduce Herself — And She's Using Rolling Stone's May 2024 cover to do so.

Before dropping her best album yet, the megastar talks to us about revisiting her past self and rethinking everything.

Cover story/photos: https://t.co/C9wZPMBRlXpic.twitter.com/2mWqhQbclL

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) April 24, 2024

“I’ve been in love with girls for my whole life,” revealed Eilish “but I just didn’t understand — until, last year.”

The new openness is a reversal on her earlier frustration with the Variety outing.

“I was never planning on talking about my sexuality ever, in a million years. It’s really frustrating to me that it came up.”

Eilish herself reposted the Rolling Stone cover without quoting it.

And a week ago she was spotted on the dance floor at Coachella, walking over to TikToker Quentin Blackwell, kissing her, then walking away.

It comes hot on the heels of what is a banner year for Eilish: An Oscar, a partnership with Epic Games’ Fortnite, and a new album - her first in three years.

Eilish announced the album by adding to her Instagram stories a white panel with the words “Hit Me” in black block letters, referring to the title of the album.

Hit Me Hard and Soft will be out on May 17.

The album cover features Eilish, dressed in black and floating underwater beneath a white door.

The What Was I made For artist said she was “nervyyyyy & exciteddd” (sic) to make the announcement about the forthcoming album.

“Not doing singles. I wanna give it to you all at once,” Eilish wrote in an Instagram post.

“Finneas and I truly could not be more proud of this album and we absolutely can’t wait for you to hear it. Love you love you love you.”

The social media post netted more than 6.2 million likes and numerous comments from fans including: “I’m too excited for thissssss (sic)”.

Last year she confirmed she was working on new music in an interview with The Cookout.

“There is lots of music coming,” she said.

“There is a whole album of music coming. We’re in the final stages of making it, so that doesn’t mean it’s about to come out, but it is getting there, and it’s very exciting.”

Previously, Eilish had teased fans with a cryptic video and message: “I’m telling you something tomorrow”.

What is it, Billie?! Picture: Instagram

A separate Instagram post featured a short video of a person, presumably Eilish, submerged in water, with a hand reaching out to pull her from the depths.

The caption reads simply: “READY?”

Fans are indeed very ready, with excitement levels at fever pitch.

“I’m crying already, let’s goooooo,” wrote one.

“I need to take my medication,” wrote another very excited fan.

“The website is down, she is coming,” wrote another.

Hit Me Hard and Soft marks Eilish’s third album, following 2021’s Happier Than Ever and her 2019 hit debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Finneas O'Connell and Billie Eilish, winners of Best Original Song award for What Was I Made For? from Barbie, proudly hold their winning statues. Picture: Getty Images

Many have guessed the Oscar winner, who writes music with her brother Finneas O’Connell, is releasing a new album.

Her last album was multi award-winning When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2019.

Eilish received a standing ovation at this year’s Oscars ceremony after performing What Was I Made For? live on stage, alongside her brother on the piano.

She beat out other Barbie favourite Ryan Gosling, who also sang I’m Just Ken live at the Oscars.

What Was I Made For? also won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes and took out Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

Originally published as Billie Eilish opens up about her sexuality as album release approaches