In 2020, singer Billie Eilish, lamented not being able to travel to the NPR DC studios to record her own Tiny Desk—an acoustic set that challenges musicians and introduces them to new audiences. She did, however, cleverly insert herself there with some cinematic magic, offering one of the most memorable performances of the pandemic era. Fast forward four years, and the singer finally got to play a true, in situ, Tiny Desk Concert, cementing her place as a 21st-century pop star with a dazzling performance.
Eilish’s career is marked with outstanding firsts. Born on December 18, 2001, she’s the first artist born in the 2000s to have a number-one album and number-one single in the U.S., which she achieved with her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), and “Bad Guy,” respectively. She is also the the first person born in the 21st century to win an Academy Award for her song “No Time to Die” from the James Bond movie of the same name. She is also the youngest ever two-time winner, which she earned for her original song “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie (2023).
These trailblazing achievements are on top of the nine Grammy Awards she has already won, including the time she became the youngest and only the second artist in Grammy history to win all four general field categories in the same year—Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, as well as Best New Artist. All the more impressive, she has maintained a consistent level of high quality in her work over the years, which has been praised by both fans and industry members, earning her seven nominations for the coming 2025 Grammys.
Eilish’s streak is clearly not a career of one-off hits, but rather one of mesmerizing songwriting, inescapable melodies, and relatable reflections. This can be appreciated in the four songs that make up the setlist from her 2024 Tiny Desk Concert—three from her latest album, Hit Me Hard And Soft (2024) and one from her first record. Accompanied by her brother Finneas, with whom she always collaborates to write her songs, Eilish performs a stripped-down set of “THE GREATEST,” “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE,” “i love you,” and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.”
This is not only a career-spanning document of her abilities, but also a snapshot of what has allowed her to connect with listeners from several generations. “In Eilish’s world, love’s purest forms are inherently terrifying,” writes NPR’s Anamaria Sayre. “Therein lies her starpower—she effortlessly, relentlessly brings to the fore the trickier emotions many of us tuck away for fear of what the world might think.”
And it’s that, beyond any accolades and records, that will make Eilish join the pantheon of the greatest songwriters of all time.
Scroll down to take a trip through some of Eilish’s best performances and watch her latest Tiny Desk Concert.
Billie Eilish first took the world by storm when she was still just a teenager.
She has since won 9 Grammys, 2 Oscars, and countless other awards for her music.
Back in 2020, during the pandemic, Eilish took part in NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert.
Now she’s finally made it in person to NPR’s coveted Tiny Desk Concert for a stripped-down performance of four of her songs.
Billie Eilish: Website | Instagram | Spotify
Source: Billie Eilish: Tiny Desk Concert
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