Billie Eilish has expressed genuine confusion over the intense reaction to her seemingly coming out, admitting that she didn’t think it was big news—or even something people weren’t already aware of.
The ‘What Was I Made For?’ singer has been one of the biggest names in the music industry over the past few years, dominating charts with hits like ‘Bad Guy,’ ‘Ocean Eyes,’ and ‘Everything I Wanted.’
At just 22, she has already made music history, becoming the youngest person ever to headline Coachella and the only female artist to sweep all four major Grammy categories in a single year.
While fans have always been fascinated by her career, personal style, and relationships, it was her recent remarks about being attracted to women that sent social media into a frenzy—leaving Eilish herself wondering why it was such a big deal in the first place.
Her Unintentional ‘Coming Out’ Moment
The conversation first sparked when Eilish was featured in Variety’s Power of Women issue, where she openly discussed her experiences as a young woman in the spotlight and her complicated relationship with femininity.
In the interview, she made a casual yet revealing remark:
“I’ve never really felt like I could relate to girls very well,” she shared.
“I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real.”
While this wasn’t an official ‘coming out’ statement, it was enough for fans and media outlets to interpret it as such, leading to headlines everywhere claiming Billie Eilish had just come out.
The Singer Was Surprised by the Reaction
When the Variety article was released, fans immediately took to social media, discussing and analyzing what her words really meant.
Some celebrated the news, while others were shocked they hadn’t realized it before. However, Eilish herself was completely taken aback by the attention, revealing that she didn’t think it was something that needed to be ‘announced’ in the first place.
She addressed the situation during an interview on the red carpet of Variety’s Hitmakers event, where she and her brother Finneas were accepting the Film Song of the Year award for ‘What Was I Made For?’
When asked by a reporter if she had meant to ‘come out’ in the interview, she responded:
“No, I didn’t, but I kinda thought… wasn’t it obvious?”
She continued, explaining that she never felt the need to make a formal statement about her sexuality.
“I just didn’t realize people didn’t know,” she admitted.
She also added that she doesn’t personally believe in the concept of ‘coming out’, stating:
“Why can’t we all just exist? I’ve been doing this for a long time and I just never talked about it… whoops.”
Her Playful Yet Honest Response to Fan Reactions
Despite her casual attitude toward the situation, Eilish did acknowledge that it was surprising to see so many people reacting as if it was breaking news.
“I saw all the articles and was like, ‘Oh, I guess I came out today… OK cool,’” she said with a laugh.
However, she also reassured fans that she embraced the moment, saying:
“It’s actually exciting to me because I guess people didn’t know, so now they do. I am for the girls.”
Billie Calls Out the Media for How They Handled It
Although she laughed off the situation during interviews, her social media activity told a different story.
Shortly after the Variety event, Billie took to Instagram, where she posted a series of photos from the event along with a caption that seemed to express frustration over the way the media handled the situation.
“Thanks, Variety, for my award and for also outing me on a red carpet at 11 a.m. instead of talking about anything else that actually matters,” she wrote.
She then added:
“I like boys and girls—leave me alone about it, please. Literally, who cares? Stream ‘What Was I Made For?’”
Months Later, She Reflects on the Situation
Looking back on the experience months later, Eilish admitted that she may have overreacted at the time, especially considering how fans responded with love and support.
She told Rolling Stone that, at the moment, she had gotten defensive, even though she actually liked the journalist who asked her the question.
“I went into Billie Eilish interview mode, where I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t care. Yeah, I’ll say whatever. Wasn’t it obvious?’”
However, she later realized something important:
“Then afterward, I was like, ‘Wait. It wasn’t obvious to me.’”
Even though she now laughs about it, she admitted that she still felt a little uncomfortable with how everything played out—especially considering that she’s still figuring herself out.
Billie Calls Out the Pressure to ‘Label’ Everything
While she has since moved on from the situation, Eilish remains critical of how the internet and media handle conversations about identity and sexuality.
She noted that everyone’s journey is different and that there’s too much pressure on young people—especially public figures—to have everything figured out right away.
“I’ve known people who don’t fully understand their sexuality until they’re in their forties, fifties, or even sixties,” she said.
“It takes time to figure yourself out, and I think it’s really unfair how the internet bullies you into talking about who you are and what you are before you’re ready.”
A Moment of Self-Discovery, Not Just a Headline
Despite all the headlines and speculation, Billie Eilish is staying true to herself, embracing the fact that she’s still on a journey of self-discovery.
Whether fans expected an official ‘coming out’ announcement or not, she has made it clear that she doesn’t feel the need to define herself with labels—and she doesn’t think anyone else should have to either.
“I just want to exist,” she concluded. “Isn’t that enough?”