The 23-year-old LA-born singer, who is of Irish and Scottish descent, spoke about her struggles with self-acceptance in an interview with British Vogue.
Eilish was asked by the rapper Nicki Minaj whether she was a musician who believed “their work was overshadowed by their beauty or their physical attributes”.
She answered: “I’ve never really felt very beautiful or seen myself in that way, so I definitely never struggled with the idea that it would overshadow anything, since I didn’t even really see it myself.
“I’ve had to really convince myself that I am beautiful. Being a woman is hard.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Eilish said it “sometimes feels like a burden” to be herself.
“I am undeniably who I am, and I have absolutely no other choice, and sometimes it feels like a burden − but I happen to also like that girl,” she said.
“Although it does feel at times definitely inescapable. I will say I’ve really grown to like who I am a lot at this point. Thank God. With exceptions.”
Eilish shot to fame in 2019 with her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which topped the UK albums chart.
She has since released two further albums and become a household name.
Billie Eilish shot to fame at just 16. Photo: PA
I had no idea [when I was younger] that I was doing anything fearlessly,” she told the magazine.
“When I would hear people comment that I was only 16 and not fitting in with the stereotype − that I was a rebel or whatever − I remember being really confused because I didn’t see it that way.
“I just felt like I was doing what I thought was cool. I was not intentionally trying to break any mould or rules or change music.
“I kind of just stayed true to what I liked and what I wanted.
“But the older I get, there really have been many periods of doubt and fear and feeling so much pressure, and then when more people knew me, more people had something to say.
“It was hard to remember to trust myself or even believe in myself sometimes. It’s still a process.
“I think I’m doing pretty good, really. I’ve also always been a very strong-willed person and very much myself, so I do think that plays a part.”
#convince #beautiful #Billie #Eilish #selfacceptance #struggles
