Billie Eilish is said to have lost 100,000 Instagram followers within an hour after sharing a single photo.
The 22-year-old rose to stardom with her breakout song “Ocean Eyes,” which went viral on SoundCloud in 2015.
Now a global music icon, she boasts seven top 10 hits and an impressive list of accolades, including nine Grammy Awards and two American Music Awards, among others.
Eilish, alongside her co-collaborator and brother Finneas O’Connell, has also contributed to soundtracks for major films, including the James Bond movie No Time to Die and Barbie.
However, like many celebrities, Eilish has faced backlash from fans, which once led to a significant drop in her social media following.
Eilish has been in the spotlight from a young age, and while her fame and success continue to grow, they have often been accompanied by intense scrutiny.
Over the years, fans have witnessed the evolution of the singer, with Eilish experimenting with her style and looks, including changes from green to red hair.
In 2021, as she prepared for the release of her album Happier Than Ever, Eilish revealed a new look on the cover of British Vogue. Pictured with platinum blonde hair and a corset, the transformation was embraced by some fans, while others criticized it.
One fan expressed, “I used to love Billie until she changed.”
Another commented, “Bring back the green hair!”
A third person remarked, “Not a role model anymore.”
At the time, Eilish took to Instagram to address the critics.
She responded (per CBS): “I spent the first 5 years of my career getting absolutely obliterated by you fools for being boyish and dressing how I did and constantly being told I’d be hotter if I acted like a woman.
“And now when I feel comfortable enough to wear anything remotely feminine or fitting, I’ve changed and am a sellout.”
She added, “I can be both.”
In an interview with Elle, Eilish addressed the backlash from the Vogue photoshoot, saying, “People hold on to these memories and have an attachment. But it’s very dehumanizing.”
This isn’t the first time the bad guy singer has stood up to her critics.
In 2020, Eilish took part in the “post a picture” trend, which prompted fans to ask her to share a “drawing you’re really proud of,” according to The Independent.
The then 19-year-old responded by sharing a page from her sketchbook, featuring a drawing of breasts and nude women. She captioned it with, “These probably lol I love b**bs.”
Following the post, Eilish’s Instagram follower count reportedly dropped by around 100,000, from 73 million to 72.9 million.
In response, the everything i wanted artist took to her Stories and wrote, “LMFAOOO y’all babies smh.”
