In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to most things that have been delayed and uprooted, the music industry has been hit intensely. With concert tours being canceled and limited new releases being made, people are longing for a sense of normalcy in the entertainment industry. Billie Eilish, an 18-year-old singer-songwriter and seen as a musical genius by many, supplied one piece of regularity for her fans, and people are nothing short of ecstatic about it. 

Eilish’s interview with Vanity Fair was posted on Youtube on Nov. 30, after over a month of being edited to perfection, and received tremendous feedback. Vanity Fair has been conducting the exact same interview with her for four years now, starting back in 2017 when she was only 15 years old. Each year, the interview takes place on Oct. 18, and the questions asked remain nearly identical.

This interview has continued to gain attraction as the years go on, and everyone patiently awaits to see how much Eilish has grown and matured within that year. The interview begins by asking surface level questions such as how many Instagram followers she has, and who the most followed person is that follows her. As the interview progresses, so do the nature of the questions, becoming increasingly personal and intriguing.The questions range from, asking about what advice she would give herself a year ago, to her current sentiments and frustrations with the music industry at large.

Eilish blew up very quickly, and at an extremely young age, after her hit single “Ocean Eyes” was first released when she was only 14 years old. Due to the fact that she was pushed into fame at such a peak time of growth and learning, people around the world have enjoyed watching her develop into the inspiring young woman that she is today. 

This is one of the reasons why this specific interview is so intriguing to many. Each year Eilish honestly expresses her feelings to the public. In her 2020 interview she expressed the overall development she has had regarding her career.

“I love that those were all very genuine,” Eilish said. “Those were all 100% what I was feeling very strongly.” 

Eilish has definitely gone through large bumps in the road when it comes to her career. She stated that in 2018, her mental health was the worst that it had ever been. 

And in the next two interviews following, she touches on the topic of how her life was consumed by her depression. This allowed for her interview to be showcased as some sort of safe space for others in her fandom who may have been struggling. Within these interviews, she demonstrated that life can be difficult, no matter who you are, and that life can also get better.

 This year, she said she is enjoying being at one of the happiest states in her life. Eilish reflects on feelings she had in past years, and admits how absorbed she was in the negativity that surrounds fame. It was difficult for her to look past the stress that she felt, and in turn be excited about all of the opportunities that she had. Now, after living through a global pandemic, her mindset about her job, as well as life in general has completely shifted. She would have never imagined that performing and concerts, the one thing that brought her so much joy in her darkest moments, could be stripped from her so easily. Neither was it anticipated that the breaks that she so deeply craved, would end up being the only thing she had. With so much time for her to reflect, 2020 had overall taught her to never take anything about her life for granted, considering how fortunate she is to have a career that so many would only dream of having. She expressed all of this in this year’s interview, and allowed for everyone to know how much she truly loves her profession. 

“I used to think the industry sucked because I was miserable… [but now] I can finally say that it’s worth it,” she said.

Eilish is currently in one of the greatest points of her career, after winning five Grammys at the 2020 Grammy Awards with her brother Finneas, who co-writes and produces all of her music. Yet no matter how large her following gets, she continues to mention how important her family is. The interview ends every year with Eilsh’s mother coming into the camera and hugging her, which they embrace as a truly special moment together. 

“I’m doing this until I’m 90,” Eilish said, “so get ready for it.”