Billie Eilish left a lasting impression with her performance at the 2024 Grammys.
Eilish, 22, took the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 4, to deliver a chilling rendition of her song “What Was I Made For?” Her brother and collaborator Finneas played the piano as Eilish sang the emotional song while wearing sunglasses and a bright pink scarf on her head.
Ahead of the memorable performance, Eilish celebrated a win for Best Song Written for Visual Media. She was also nominated at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video. Eilish’s song with Labrinth, “Never Felt So Alone,” received a nod in the Best Pop Duo category.
Eilish’s six nominations put her in good company with Jack Antonoff, Jon Batiste, Brandy Clark, Boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift. In addition to Eilish’s song from the soundtrack, Barbie the Album was also recognized in the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media category.
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Meanwhile, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt scored a nomination for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media and for their collaboration on Ryan Gosling‘s “I’m Just Ken.” Dua Lipa‘s “Dance the Night” and Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice‘s “Barbie World” are also competing against each other in Best Song Written for Visual Media. The nominations are rounded out with a nod in the Best Rap Song category as well.
Before music’s biggest night, Eilish opened up about the inspiration behind her song.
“I would really like to say that this award and any recognition that this song gets, I just want to dedicate to anyone who experiences hopelessness, the feeling of existential dread and feeling like, ‘What’s the point? Why am I here? And why am I doing this?’” Eilish said while accepting an award at the Palm Springs Film Awards last month.
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The singer recalled experiencing dark thoughts while writing the lyrics, adding, “I think we all feel like that occasionally, but I think if somebody like me, with the amount of privilege that I have and the incredible things that I get to do and be and how I have really not wanted to be here. Sorry to be dark, damn. But I’ve spent a lot of time feeling that way.”
Eilish recalled Barbie director Greta Gerwig asking her and brother Finneas to contribute to the movie’s soundtrack.
“[I was having a dark episode where] things didn’t make sense in life. I just didn’t understand what the point was and why you would keep going. Just questioning everything in the world,” she noted about her state of mind before seeing the film. “[Barbie went through situations] that I really, really, really resonated with and felt so close to. I felt so seen, and I did not expect that.”
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Eilish had nothing but praise for Barbie — and the audience who loved the film.
“[The movie is] the most incredible, most empowering and beautiful and funny and just unbelievable piece of art in the world, and I’m so honored to be a part of it,” she concluded. “Be patient with yourself. And know that it is, I think, worth it all. And I think that it’s good to be alive now. I didn’t feel like that for a very long time.”
