Billie Eilish
If you’re holding out to see Massive Attack return to Coachella, you might be left waiting for some time.
The English trip-hop duo – which comprises Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja and Grant ‘Daddy G’ Marshall – have spent close to 40 years becoming known for their activism and politics almost as much as their groundbreakingg music, with climate matters and environmentalism a strong focus of their efforts.
Alongside support of the Extinction Rebellion group, Massive Attack have also been critical of the impact that live music has upon the envionment. In 2021, they comissioned a study through the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, ultimately launching their own plan to reduce carbon emissions throughout the wider music industry.
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Recently, the pair have been performing shows as part of their Act 1.5 series, aiming to not only rethink how concerts can be staged with environmental friendliness in mind, but to also be the lowest-carbon events of their kind.
During their recent Act 1.5 event in Liverpool, England, the pair spoke to NME about their decision to turn down a return visit to Coachella due to their concerns over the event’s environmental impact.
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“We said no to Coachella for next year because again, we’ve been there once, and once was enough,” Del Naja explained. “It’s in Palm Springs. It’s a golf resort built on a desert, run on a sprinkler system, using public water supplies. Mental. If you want to see something that’s the most ludicrous bit of human behaviour – it’s right there.”
Del Naja also turned his focus to artists who perform residencies in Las Vegas, naming the city an “aviation destination”, and describing The Sphere as “a brilliant bit of infrastructure in the worst possible place it could be – in the worst setting in the world”.
Massive Attack’s sole appearance at Coachella took place in 2006, four years prior to the release of their most recent album, 2010’s Heliogland. Elsewhere in the interview, Del Naja added that the group have been sitting on new music for four years which is yet to be released due to a label dispute.
Their forthcoming plans also include furthering environmental activism with partnerships in Europe, including an in-progress deal with Trainline to provide discounts to Billie Eilish fans who travel to the show by rail.
FloyyMenor and Cris MJ‘s “Gata Only” was the top song on TikTok globally in 2024. “Gata Only” also cracked the top 10 in the U.S., according to the platform’s announcement on Wednesday (Dec. 4), although Tommy Richman‘s “MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)” was the biggest TikTok song stateside.
Catalog songs did not appear to perform as well on the app in 2024. In the U.S., almost every one of the top tracks was new, with the exception of Blood Orange’s “Champagne Coast,” a gauzy, yearning cut from 2011.
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In 2022, in contrast, catalog accounted for four of the top 10 songs in the U.S.: Pharrell’s “Just A Cloud Away,” Labrinth’s “Forever,” WILLOW’s “Wait a Minute!” and Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God).” And in 2023, older songs like Justine Sky’s “Collide,” PARTYNEXTDOOR’s “Her Way,” and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” were embraced by TikTok users, rocketing into the platform’s top 10.
At the same time, sped-up tracks did not have as much success on TikTok as they have had in the past, despite other streaming platforms’ growing interest in trying to tap into the sped-up craze. In 2023 in particular, the four most popular songs on TikTok in the U.S. were all sped-up. But this year, no sped-up songs appeared in the top 10 Stateside — or in the U.K., or in the global ranking.
“Gata Only” initially became popular in Chile — Floyymenor’s home — before spreading to Mexico, Argentina, and the rest of Latin America, according to Mike Weiss, head of A&R at UnitedMasters, which signed the singer. “After the regional growth, TikTok became the springboard that pushed the song into the U.S.,” Weiss continues. “The real moment when non-Spanish speakers started using the sound with videos like ‘POV: You don’t speak Spanish but can’t stop listening to this song.’”
That trend was soon launching 30,000 videos per day. “Next thing we knew,” Weiss says, “‘Gata Only’ was huge in Italy, France, and everywhere around the world, even places where you wouldn’t expect a Spanish language song to explode.”
Alongside FloyyMenor’s breakout single, other major hits on TikTok in the U.S. include Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival” and Lay Bankz’s “Tell Ur Girlfriend.” Along with “Champagne Coast” and “Million Dollar Baby,” this means that half of the Top 10 were releases from independent labels. (Though parts of the indie community currently have a contentious relationship with TikTok.)
“Tell Ur Girlfriend” went viral in part thanks to a dance trend — a throwback to an earlier time on TikTok. “These young girls made this amazing dance, and we started to spend heavily on it, having influencers do it,” recalls Alec Henderson, head of digital at Artist Partner Group, which signed Bankz. “Most of last year and the first half of this year, dancing was not what was popular on TikTok anymore. This one brought that nostalgia-dancing thing back to life.”
Bankz, FloyyMenor, and Richman were dominant in the U.S. and also appeared in the top 10 globally. Billie Eilish was the only other artist to manage this, with her glossy hit “Birds of a Feather.”
U.S. Top 10 TikTok Songs:“MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)” – Tommy Richman“CARNIVAL” – ¥$ & Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti“Tell Ur Girlfriend” – Lay Bankz“Type Shit” – Future & Metro Boomin & Travis Scott & Playboi Carti“Never Lose Me” – Flo Milli“Champagne Coast” – Blood Orange“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish“Magic Johnson” – ian“TGIF”- GloRilla“Gata Only” – FloyyMenor & Cris MJ
Global Top 10 TikTok Songs:“Gata Only” – FloyyMenor & Cris MJ“Pedro” – Jaxomy & Agatino Romero & Raffaella Carrà“Alibi” – Sevdaliza feat. Pabllo Vittar & Yseult“MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)” – Tommy Richman“Tell Ur Girlfriend” – Lay Bankz“La Diabla” – Xavi“Nasty” – Tinashe“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish“Forever Young” – Alphaville“Beautiful Things” – Benson Boone
On Monday morning (April 8), the moment fans had been waiting for had finally arrived: Billie Eilish announced her forthcoming third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, out May 17.
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After changing her Instagram icon to blue last week and plastering teaser posters of lyrics across major cities, Eilish delivered a clever promotional stunt: adding her millions of followers to her Close Friends stories on the app. According to CrowdTangle, her social media savvy led to a major win, as the superstar gained more than seven million new followers in just a two-day span.
Of course, for the sake of promoting a new album, the timing couldn’t be better. But as Eilish and her team explain, there’s a much larger goal in mind with this particular rollout. “The fact that I have a far bigger audience and platform than I’ve ever had in my life means I can reach that many more people, and that’s such a huge responsibility and privilege to have,” Eilish tells Billboard. “If I don’t use that privilege to do some good in the world, then what’s the point?”
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“My parents have always kept me well informed and hyper aware that every choice we make and every action we take has an impact somewhere or on someone, good or bad, and that has always stuck with me,” she continues. “I can’t just ignore what I know and go about my business and career and not do something. That’s just not how I was raised, or how I want to live my life.”
To coincide with the album announcement, Eilish has updated her website’s homepage to include a sustainability tab, offering a transparent breakdown of the album’s many eco-friendly innovations when it comes to physical product, from vinyl and CDs to merchandise. It’s the culmination of her yearslong efforts to change the music industry from within, as she and her mother, Maggie Baird, have been fighting for more sustainable practices across the business from day one.
“Since we first met them, this [has been] the foundation of our relationship with them,” says Steve Berman, vice chairman of the newly formed Interscope Capitol Labels Group. Berman notes how it’s a team-wide effort across Interscope and Justin Lubliner’s Darkroom along with co-managers Danny Rukasin and Brandon Goodman of Best Friends Music. “We’re in this every day together,” continues Berman. “We are always looking at this through the lens of not only what we can do, but as the platform gets bigger, what are more opportunities to be focused on this and have impact and empower change?”
With Hit Me Hard and Soft, that comes down to doubling down on encouraging new physical production standards that implore the most eco-friendly practices currently feasible, with the goal of changing systemic and industry-wide practices that have been influenced by charting, retailer and consumer demands.
Hit Me Hard and Soft will have a limit of eight vinyl variants, all of which will become available on the same day and feature the exact same track-listing – and, most importantly, all of which are produced by using recycled materials. The standard black variant is made from 100% recycled black vinyl while the remaining seven colored vinyl will be made from ECO-MIX or BioVinyl. ECO-MIX is created from 100% recycled compound made of leftovers from any colors that can’t otherwise be used, resulting in a unique pressing of every LP, while BioVinyl helps reduce carbon emissions by 90% by using non-fossil fuel materials like used cooking oil or industrial waste gases.
“It’s really an important responsibility to honor the work that Billie does and how she and her family see it,” says Berman. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s something we’re really proud of to be able to bring it to her fans in the cleanest way possible…So much thought and energy have gone into making sure that we’re being respectful of the fans and making sure that we have vinyl – it’s an important part of the connection to the music and the art.”
And their efforts don’t end with the vinyl discs alone: the packaging for each variant is made 100% from post-consumer waste and recycled fiber pre-consumer waste; the ink is raw plant-based and water-based dispersion varnish; the sleeves are 100% recycled and reusable; and all goods are then packaged and shipped in recyclable shipping boxes.
And across cassette and CDs, no plastic boxes will be used. Cassette shells will be made from recycled shell pieces while CD packaging will replace jewel cases with softpaks that use 100% renewable fibers.
“We are doing everything we can to minimize waste in every aspect of my music,” says Eilish. “[My label has] listened to my concerns and helped me find the best way forward when releasing music and product into the world.”
“[Universal Music Group] has set global goals around emissions reduction and working with Billie is a great opportunity to co-create product-related solutions with her,” adds Veronica Dullack, SVP of global ESG & sustainability at UMG. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve worked together to support and enable her bold choices,” from recycled vinyl to merchandise, which is made from prior production dead stock, organic or recycled polyester or cotton and non-toxic dyes.
With the rollout and release of Hit Me Hard and Soft, Eilish and her team will continue to partner with Reverb as well – an organization she has worked with on numerous initiatives, from partially powering her mainstage set at Lollapalooza Chicago last year with solar-charged batteries to saving 8.8 million gallons of water by serving plant-based meals for artists and crew on her Happier Than Ever tour and more.
“Billie, her family and her team don’t seem afraid to shake things up and question the status quo, especially when it comes to how the music industry does business…We’re excited that her new album is integrating cutting-edge production methods and materials,” says Reverb founder Adam Gardner. “Artists like Billie have tremendous power to influence and change the entire music industry and how it operates – and that’s exactly what she’s doing.”
Eilish has emerged as a leader when it comes to sustainability in music and she hopes “that others will adopt the same practices, and they will eventually become standard. It really is as simple as that.”
To view a full list of Eilish’s eco-friendly efforts surrounding the release of Hit Me Hard and Soft, visit her website.
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Source: Renee Dominguez / Getty / Chuck D
Hollywood isn’t the only industry worried about the dangers of AI (artificial intelligence). The music industry is also weary of the technology.
Spotted on Deadline, the Artists Rights Alliance penned an open letter that garnered over 200 signatures from big names in the entertainment and music industry, calling on AI companies and digital streaming platforms to pledge “that undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists or deny us fair compensation for our work.”
The website reports that Billie Eilish, her brother Finneas, Nicki Minaj, the estates of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, Smokey Robinson, Katy Perry, R.E.M, Chuck D, Camila Cabello, J Balvin, and more have signed the letter that lives on Medium.
The letter calls on “AI developers, technology companies, platforms, and digital music services to cease using artificial intelligence (AI) to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists.”
It also points out that AI can be beneficial by adding, “Make no mistake: we believe that, when used responsibly, AI has enormous potential to advance human creativity and in a manner that enables the development and growth of new and exciting experiences for music fans everywhere.
“Unfortunately, some platforms and developers are employing AI to sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightsholders.”
The letter adds it wants to “protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists’ voices and likenesses, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.”
AI was a significant issue in the SAG-AFTRA and Writer’s Guild strikes, which lasted for several months before both entities agreed on major sticking points.
In the music industry, AI is used in production and mastering, while independent artists utilize the tool to help with songwriting.
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Billie Eilish isn’t just known for her hypnotic voice and chart topping songs — the “Getting Older” singer has made a name for herself as a fashion influencer. From ballgown looks shown off at the Met Gala to streetwear outfits worn on and off the stage, Eilish knows how to make a lasting impression through clothing.
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While neon green and black looks are her usual go-tos, the star made an appearance at the Barbie: The Movie pink carpet in a pink ‘fit that still boasted the classic Eilish aesthetic without sacrificing the Barbiecore fashion that has taken over our social feeds. For fans who want to add a bit of the Happier Than Ever artist’s style into their own wardrobe, we looked towards Eilish’s iconic outfits to get some inspiration.
Keep scrolling to shop clothing, footwear and even some accessories inspired by the singer.
GOAT
Jordan 1 Retro AJKO
$From $98
Neon green has become the color that the musician has been known to wear out and about, so it’s no surprise that Eilish’s Air Jordans sport the shade. You can still snag a pair of your own high top Air Jordan’s from the singer’s past collaboration — and for less than $100!
Amazon
Hisdern Solid Color Tie
$11.94 $29.99 60% OFF
Want to recreate her Barbie look? To start, grab a hot pink tie like this one, which will you’ll want to pair with a pink pinstripe button-up. Don’t have the top? We’ve got you covered with our next pick below.
Bloomingdale’s
French Connection Rhodes Poplin Stripe Shirt
$68
Complete your look with a pink and white striped button-up top that you can wear with jeans, trousers, a skirt and more. Make sure to tie a hot pink tie around it to sport your best Eilish style.
Amazon
Victorious Elastic Cuff Fleece Sweatpants
$23.95
Go bold with a pair of neon green sweatpants that come with a soft cozy material you can lounge on the couch in. If you really want to channel the inner Eilish in you, then pair it with a matching graphic tee or black t-shirt.
Amazon
Floerns Women’s High Waisted Sporty Drawstring Mesh Paneled Cargo Pants Black S
$32.99
Hone in on the streetwear aesthetic with a pair of trusty mesh paneled pants. The mesh material will provide ventilation to keep you comfortable while the elastic cuffs will look great paired with combat boots or high-top sneakers.
Nike
Nike Air Force 1 High
$125
The musician loves a good sneaker including these Nike Air Forces, which she has been seen wearing casually. The white shade makes it easy to pair with black jeans or cargo pants while the platform sole will add some elevation to your overall look.
StockX
Nike x Billie Eilish S/S Tee
$From $55
Nike is another favorite of the singer’s and we found the T-shirt from her previous collab with the brand. On the front is the timeless Nike logo while the back of the shirt comes with “Billie Eilish” printed on the bottom corner in her classic font.
Amazon
Umeepar Unisex Cotton Packable Bucket Hat
$11.99
If there’s one thing that’s for certain, it’s that the “bad guy” singer loves to accessorize. Complete your outfits with a bucket hat that’s similar to ones the star has sported in the past (just with a wallet-friendly price of $12).
Sunglasses Hut
Prada Linea Rossa Sunglasses
$244.30 $349 30% off% OFF
When looking at the singer’s style, she seems to prefer more edgy and sport-centered looks much like these Prada sunglasses she’s previously been photographed in. It comes in a universal size with a wide-fit for added comfort.
Burberry
Burberry Check Silk Shorts
$800
Just like Eilish, snag your own Burberry checkered set starting with these silk shorts that you can sport around the house or during wine nights with friends. Either way, you’ll be channeling one of the star’s favorite brands.
Burberry
Burberry Vintage Check Silk Pyjama Shirt
$1,150
Complete the set with a matching silk checkered top that’s totally worth the splurge as it features the iconic Burberry print in a silky, lightweight material.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of Olivia Rodrigo’s ring trend, Barbie merch and the best platform boots.
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Cardi B let fans in on what really goes down inside the Met Gala with a new Instagram post on Wednesday (May 3), in which she shared a series of star-studded photos.
The photo carousel showed the “I Like It” rapper posing with Bad Bunny, Doja Cat, Halle Bailey and more, but the sweetest snap was a screenshot of a FaceTime between Billie Eilish and Cardi’s four-year-old daughter Kulture. In the picture, the two are both sweetly smiling into the camera.
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See Cardi’s post here.
The rapper encompassed the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” Met Gala theme by channeling the late German fashion designer on the red carpet in a sleek tuxedo gown, complete with massive black Chanel-inspired Camellia flowers and a Lagerfeld-inspired grey hairdo. “This skirt is giving Chanel Boy bag, and the flowers — when you get a Chanel purse, you always get white flowers but this one is black. Up top, it’s giving Karl,” Cardi told Vogue on the red carpet. “I’m representing the House of Chanel and Karl at the same time.”
Eilish, meanwhile, opted for a stunning black, see-through lace custom Simone Rocha gown, with her hair in a long black braid down her side.
The Met Gala’s new Lagerfeld-inspired exhibition will showcase more than 150 original looks designed by Lagerfeld, who died at 85 years old in 2019, delving into the former Chanel creative director’s expansive seven-decade career. Many of his original sketches are also set to appear alongside the objects on display.
Billie Eilish celebrated Easter with her family on Sunday (April 9), enjoying chocolate-filled baskets, flowers and all the joys of spring.
In a series of photos shared to Instagram on Tuesday (April 11), Eilish showed off her outfit for the festivities: a floral-printed, off-the-shoulder maxi dress that she paired with white fishnet stockings and classic white sneakers.
One of the snaps indicated that her boyfriend, The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford, was at the event, as his tattooed hand is seen placed on the “Bad Guy” singer’s thigh.
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The seven-time Grammy winner captioned the post with a series of flower-themed emojis.
The “Happier Than Ever” singer opened up about her relationship with Rutherford in her annual Vanity Fair video interview in November “It’s really cool, and I’m really excited and I’m really happy about it,” she said of her romance with the 31-year-old rock star. “I managed to get my life to a point where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f–king f–ker alive, but pulled his ass! Are you kidding me? Can we just [get a] round of applause for me … thank you, Jesse Rutherford, everyone! I pulled his a–. All me. I did that s–t.”
There’s nothing sweeter than the relationship between Billie Eilish and her mom, Maggie Baird.
The “Bad Guy” superstar took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (March 29) to celebrate her mother’s 64th birthday with a sweet post.
“Happy birthday mama,” Eilish captioned a snap of Baird smiling at the camera while playing badminton in a garden. “You make the world go round. I told you yesterday that when I think about how much I love you, I want to sob and throw up. @maggiembaird love you so much [pink heart emojis].”
See the post before it disappears here.
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“She works so unbelievably hard,” the 21-year-old multi-Grammy winner previously told People of hers and Finneas’ mom. “She is so selfless, and she cares so much about people and the world in a way that I don’t think you could even believe is possible.”
She continued, “We, as people, hope for change, but often we just think it and say it. My mom is one of those people who really does it, and that’s so amazing to me.”
In 2022, Eilish and Baird were honored with the Environmental Media Association’s Missions in Music Award “for their incredible work as role models for sustainable behaviors,” including Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, The World Tour, the organization said.
Together, Eilish and Baird created “Overheated,” an extra component with climate-focused activities including clothing swaps, documentary screenings and veganism talks as part of an effort to communicate issues related to sustainable fashion and encourage fans to participate. It was organized in collaboration with Baird’s charity, Support + Feed, which takes on food insecurity and the climate crisis with plant-based food.