Billie Eilish can't quit social media, calls it her 'cigarette'
What's the story
Grammy-winning singer Billie Eilish recently compared her social media addiction to smoking. Speaking to Complex, the 22-year-old artist opened up about her complicated relationship with X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. She revealed that she had quit the platforms a few months ago, calling it "awesome." However, she confessed to struggling while interacting with fans on tours due to her social media absence.
Dependency issues
Eilish's struggle with social media dependency
Eilish admitted that it's difficult for her to stay away from social media, particularly when she wants to see fan reactions to her shows. "I go on the internet to see the videos that I want to see, but then I get sucked in," she said. She called it a problem, adding, "Then I get all f---ed up, and I'm stuck. So I've been back on it, but I am trying to get off." "It's my cigarettes...It's really a problem."
Emotional conflict
Eilish's mixed feelings about social media interactions
Despite her struggles, Eilish did acknowledge the positives of social media, like hosting Q&A sessions with fans on Instagram. "Some of it's awesome and I love it and I cherish it," she said. However, she also revealed how some people can ruin it, saying, "But again, people make that kind of thing really hard. It's sad to me. Some people ruin it for the rest of them."
Past revelations
Eilish's past revelations about social media and privacy
Eilish has been open about her mixed feelings about opening up on social media. In a 2021 chat with British artist Stormzy for i-D, she said, "I feel conflicted about it." "I don't always want to tell the world intimate details about my life...but at the same time, I want people to be able to feel seen and heard if they've experienced the same things I have."
Negative impact
Eilish on the negative impact of social media comments
Back in 2020, Eilish told BBC she had stopped reading Instagram comments as they were "ruining" her life. She noted a paradox in her case, saying, "It's weird: the cooler the things you get to do are the more people hate you. It's crazy." Meanwhile, work-wise, Eilish dominated the charts with her third album Hit Me Hard and Soft, featuring US top-five hits Lunch and Birds of a Feather, her first Billboard Global 200 number-one.