When Billie Eilish clinched the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, it was only fitting that she thanked director Greta Gerwig for making one of the year’s best movies. The singer-songwriter and her brother Finneas teamed up to write the opening track on the star-studded soundtrack for ‘Barbie,’ which follows Barbie’s journey of self-discovery in Gerwig’s upcoming movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. The duo had a particular reason to write the track. In a video interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Eilish said she and her brother were in “a slump creatively” when they got the call to work on the film’s soundtrack. The song’s lyrics and sound reflected their creative rut and helped them climb out.
But the most moving part of Eilish’s speech came when she shifted gears to thank ‘Barbie’s’ star, Megan Thee Stallion, for being so welcoming and accepting of her when they first met to work on the song. After watching a rough film cut, the siblings met with Thee Stallion and her sister in LA. “She was excited to hear our music, and we were able to talk about how it could help the story,” she recalled, adding that the sisters had felt a “strong sense of camaraderie” when they had left. “She’s so open to talking about her mental health, and she was just a great person to collaborate with,” she concluded.
The next day, Eilish posted a photo to Instagram with a caption full of exclamation points and pink emojis. She and her brother wore matching Gucci outfits, and the doll clothes were a nod to the ‘Barbie’ soundtrack. The picture also included a pink case in which the duo store their doll-related accessories.
Many quickly applaud the moment as a beautiful display of female camaraderie. Still, others took issue with the way it was delivered and the fact that the singer didn’t acknowledge that racial gaps in the music industry still need to be addressed. One Twitter user pointed out that it’s a shame that Black women haven’t won Record of the Year in over 20 years.
Eilish is now busy with a tour of South America and a few festival dates in Mexico. But she’ll likely likely be back at the Grammys to perform again.
