Billie Eilish might be one of the most iconic performers of a generation. Since her first hit single – Ocean Eyes – in 2016, she’s had an immeasurable influence on music and fashion.
Over the years – in particular since 2019’s critically and commercially successful When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? – Eilish has won numerous awards, including nine Grammys and two Academy Awards. In 2021, she was featured in the TIME100: a list of the most influential people in the world.
As one of the most successful artists of the 2010s, with 120 million followers on Instagram, Eilish is a role model to many. Thankfully, she’s committed to putting her influence to good use.
In particular, she’s dedicated to climate activism. In 2023, she stated that she refuses to travel by private jet – bucking the trend set by other globally famous artists like Taylor Swift. Over the years, Eilish has signed on to open letters to world leaders, joined protests and even hosted a multi-day seminar to tackle the climate crisis.
But Eilish didn’t become vegan because of concerns about climate change. She’s actually been eating plant-based since she was 12, because: “Once I learned about how animals are treated in our industrial food system, I didn’t want any part of it.”
Eilish was raised vegetarian. Her namesake – her grandfather, Bill Baird – was into hunting and fishing. But his children, including Eilish’s mother, disagreed. They all went vegetarian back in the seventies, when they were teenagers.
Eilish’s father, in turn, stopped eating meat after being forced to pass a slaughterhouse every day on his morning commute.
By the time Eilish was born, both her parents were meat-free. So Eilish was raised without eating meat all her life.
But is she still vegan? The answer is: yes! Eilish has been vegan consistently for the past ten years. And she’s not kept quiet about it. For years, Eilish has used her platform to promote a plant-based lifestyle, emphasising “the link between animal agriculture and climate change”.
The six-day climate seminar that Eilish and her mother hosted at the O2 in 2022 featured speakers on topics relating to animal agriculture.
She was named PETA’s Person of the Year in 2021, precisely because of her dedication to animal and climate advocacy.
That advocacy has been effective, too. In 2021, Eilish convinced fashion brand Oscar De La Renta to stop using fur for good. And as a co-chair of the Met Gala, she made sure the exclusive event only served plant-based meals – for the first time in its history.
A few days ago, Eilish appeared on the popular YouTube show Chicken Shop Date. And what was her meal of choice? Vegan nuggets, of course.
So rest assured: Billie Eilish is still vegan – and she’s as committed as ever to helping animals and the planet.
