In the new AppleTV documentary Billie Eilish: the world a little blurry, director RJ Cutler captures the kind of chaotic and exciting year in the life of a pop star that few filmmakers have access to. The doc has been following Eilish since the last weeks of recording his massive debut album When we all fall asleep, where do we go for the 2020 Grammy, where he won the top four categories. Much of the film flows like a home video, with Eilish’s parents and brother-producer Finneas O’Connell recording some of the most intimate moments of his rapid rise to the top of the charts. The world is a little blurry it offers a window into the teen superstar’s private world, even the parts she previously kept hidden from the public eye.
Here are eight things we learned about Eilish from the new film.
1. Drawings inspired by Eilish’s songs became concepts for music videos.
Eilish sketched the concepts for many of his songs in his diary, and many of those drawings also became part of his music videos. In the video for the gloomy single “When the Party’s Over”, his plan has always been to start “bleeding black” through the eyes. She even tested the idea in her backyard, with her mother sitting at the table and drinking from an empty glass – while her father took dog poop in the background. The video came to life exactly as she had imagined: the singer drinks a black liquid just to get out of her eyes as the song progresses.
2. Finneas hid the label’s request that the duo write a hit for his sister.
Eilish had been gaining buzz long before When we all fall asleep was released, so while she was preparing for her debut, there was immense pressure for the album to yield a hit. His brother Finneas had to hide his label’s requests for a big single from his younger sister, even when they were recording in the closed room of his childhood room. “It looks like a minefield to me,” he says to his mother, who is filming it in her kitchen. “I was told to write a hit, but I was told not to tell Billie that we have to write a hit.” As they approached the album’s finish line, Eilish became more irritated by the writing process, especially due to her own concern about people hating the final product. “You can’t trick her into writing a song,” advises the mother.
3. There was a concern that her anti-drug and anti-alcohol stance would make her look like a hypocrite later.
In interviews and songs like “Xanny”, Eilish makes it clear that he is against the use of drugs and alcohol, especially in excessive amounts. When one of Eilish’s associates points out that her teenage opinion of these substances may turn against her later in life if she decides to start drinking, smoking or using drugs, the star’s mother defends her daughter’s right to change her mind. “Aren’t you going to let her be authentic with who she is now if she grows up and uses drugs?” Eilish’s mother says.
4. Justin Bieber went from childhood passion to confidant.
Before becoming a teen idol, Eilish grew up obsessed with Justin Bieber. He was her hero and her ultimate passion. So when Bieber got in touch via Instagram asking to collaborate at the time of the release of her album, she was amazed. They decided to do a remix of their hit single “Bad Guy”, although they haven’t met yet. When they finally met at Coachella while Ariana Grande was on stage, Eilish burst into tears as he held her. He ended up writing her a long, thoughtful message after the meeting, explaining how her reaction reminded him why he does what he does and offering words of comfort and support. He even did FaceTimed Eilish to congratulate him after she won the “big four” Grammy categories in early 2020.
5. She fell in love and had her heart broken while promoting her debut album.
Eilish kept his love life private as he became more famous, so confirming his relationship with Brandon Adams – a fellow musician known as Q – is one of the doctor’s biggest revelations. In the film, Eilish makes it clear that she is in love with Q, but has a hard time catching him when he is on the road and, even worse, when she is in Los Angeles, where he also lives. His parents seem to support the relationship, but they are also cautious. “I heard that he broke his hand because he was angry, and punched the wall,” her father points out when Eilish decides to pay a visit to her injured boyfriend shortly after taking out her driver’s license. “We never knew where he lived, or any of them,” says his father in a conversation with his mother after she leaves. The final straw in the relationship is a conversation Eilish and Q had before she performed at Pier 17 in New York. Not feeling supported, Eilish breaks up with him forever.
6. Tourism has already affected your physical health.
The most agitated year of the rising star’s life was made worse by numerous physical illnesses. During a heavy tour around the world, she had shin splints and a broken neck. She continued to perform, but due to life and career stress, as well as Tourette’s syndrome, Eilish had to start seeing physical therapists, who advised her to slow down.
7. Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are big fans.
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom also revealed how much they stan Eilish behind the scenes of Coachella. Perry and Eilish even had a frank conversation, with the veteran megastar offering to speak to Eilish whenever the newly famous singer needed to vent or ask for advice. When Eilish returned to her trailer, she revealed that she had no idea who Bloom was initially, having to see pictures of him from Pirates of the Caribbean. “I thought he was just a guy that Katy Perry met,” says Eilish. She rectified this later, meeting and hugging Bloom once again in the VIP area. “Now I know who he is,” she says to the camera.
8. She hated her performance at Coachella.
During her highly anticipated Coachella debut, Eilish experienced a flood of difficulties. The huge screens behind it were not working properly, causing a delay. Then, while singing “All the Good Girls Go to Hell”, she missed the verses and, awkwardly, tried to play with the audience while the song continued. Afterwards, she was beside herself, upset by the performance and begging her boyfriend to see her. (As we learned in the film, it did not appear.)