Billie Eilish has reflected on the public reaction to the tank top she wore last year.
In October 2020, paparazzi pictures emerged of the Grammy-winning singer wearing a form-fitting vest instead of her usual choice of loose, covered-up clothing.
In a new interview with Vogue, Eilish said: “It made me really offended when people were like, ‘Good for her for feeling comfortable in her bigger skin. Jesus Christ?! Good for me? F*** off!”
She added: “The more the internet and the world care about somebody that’s doing something they’re not used to, they put it on such a high pedestal that then it’s even worse.”
Eilish appears on the cover of the new issue of British Vogue, wearing a custom Gucci corset and skirt with an Agent Provocateur bra, accessorised with latex gloves. The shoot, which was Eilish’s idea, was inspired by classic pinups such as Betty Brosmer.
“Showing your body and showing your skin – or not – should not take away any respect from you,” she said. “It’s all about what makes you feel good. If you want to get surgery, go get surgery. If you want to wear a dress that somebody thinks that you look too big wearing, fuck it. If you feel like you look good, you look good.”
The “Your Power” singer also said all her age group have suffered sexual misbehaviour. “[The song is] really not about one person,” Eilish said. “You might think, ‘it’s because she’s in the music industry’, no dude. It’s everywhere. I don’t know one girl or woman who hasn’t had a weird experience or a really bad experience. And men, too – young boys are taken advantage of constantly.”
