For all the ways Billie Eilish is a pop artist of the future, I still find her voice to be somewhat of a throwback. Take away the cavernous production of her brother, Finneas, and you find a soft warble, an invitation to lean a little closer. It was that beckoning voice which Eilish took to last week’s Academy Awards ceremony during her performance of The Beatles‘ Yesterday, which soundtracked the night’s In Memoriam segment. It was restrained, yet still characteristic. I was left thinking there are far worse ways to be posthumously honoured.
Too bad she thought it was shithouse.
Speaking to Zane Lowe for Apple’s New Music Daily last week, Eilish said she was actually sick as a dog during the performance.
“I was sick for all of the Oscars, I bombed that performance,” Eilish said. “That shit was trash.”
Compounding her apparent disdain for her take on the classic tune, Eilish said she was taken aback by performing in front of Hollywood’s elite – despite, you know, being a megastar herself.
“The Oscars is not my people,” she said.
“I’m not used to that. At least the Grammys wasn’t as scary, because it was like, artists, and it felt like my people.”
I can’t see it being the last time she performs in front of some of the most notable actors, given her involvement in the latest James Bond film.
Anyway, listen back to her Oscars performance below, and consider giving the full interview a listen on Apple Music here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKmqtaxIS3Y
