Billie Eilish found people’s reaction to her style chance “dehumanising”.
Billie Eilish
The 19-year-old singer debuted a new look in May this year when she graced the cover of British Vogue magazine wearing more revealing and figure-hugging outfits than her signature baggy style.
And Billie has now said her fashion switch-up cost her around 100,000 followers on social media, which left her feeling as though people were only interested in her body rather than her personality or her art.
She told ELLE magazine: "People hold on to these memories and have an attachment. But it's very dehumanising. I lost 100,000 followers just because of the boobs. People are scared of big boobs. You're not even supposed to really know who you are until you're at least my age or older."
The ‘Bad Guy’ hitmaker also said she ditched her trademark neon green and black locks in favour of blonde hair so that she could blend in more while out in public.
She added: "I had no goal of 'This is going to make everybody think differently of me.' I've had different-coloured hair and vibes for everything I've ever done.
“The other day, I posted a video from when I had green hair, and I saw people go, 'I miss this Billie, the green-haired Billie.' I'm still the same person. I'm not just different Barbies with different heads."
For Billie’s ELLE cover story, the publication also spoke to fellow popstar Madonna, who defended the teenage singer for “not pandering to the masses”.
She said: "The problem is, we still live in a very sexist world where women are put into categories: You're either in the virgin category or the w**** category. Billie started off in a non-sexualised category, not pandering to the masses and not using her sexuality in any way, which is her choice and God bless her for that — after all, she's been a teenager all this time.
“[But] if she wants to turn around and take photographs where she is portrayed as a feminine woman, showing her body in a way that she hasn't in the past, then why should she be punished for it?
“Women should be able to portray themselves in any way they want. If Billie were a man, no one would be writing about this. A man can show up dressed in a suit and tie for the first three years of his career, and then the next month he could be dressed like Prince or Mick Jagger, shirt off, wearing eyeliner, and no one would say a word."
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