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Billie Eilish Is Far From a Solo Act — Meet Her Songwriter Brother Finneas O’Connell
Keeping it in the family! Billie Eilish has become a household name following the success of her songs “Bad Guy” and “Happier Than Ever,” but the singer — whose real name is Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell — hasn’t been doing it on her own. Her brother and songwriting partner, Finneas O’Connell, has been right by her side through it all.
During an episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden from December 2019, Billie revealed that Finneas had claimed years prior that he was going to make her “the biggest pop star in the world.” Mission accomplished! Keep reading to meet Billie’s brother, Finneas.
He Makes His Own Music
Other than writing with Billie, the California native has released his own solo songs. Finneas’ debut album, Optimist, was released in October 2021.
“It’s an album about my world experience, my life experience — it’s an introspective body of work,” the musician explained to V Man magazine ahead of the record’s release. “[It’s about] the things that I was scared of as a kid, and the things I’m scared of as an adult, and how they’re connected.”
He Appeared on TV
Yes, he’s always made music, but Finneas also had brief career as an actor. He appeared in episodes of Modern Family, Glee, Aquarius and more over the years. Not to mention, he voiced the role of Jesse in the 2022 movie Turning Red.
He’s a Taken Man
Finneas and girlfriend Claudia Sulewski have been together since 2018. They live together and are constantly sharing PDA-filled posts on social media.
“It’s not that I can’t imagine my life without you, it’s easy to — it would be a life with infinitely less joy and love and laughter and purpose,” the singer wrote on Instagram in September 2021. “A life I have no interest in. Best 3 years of my life. Happy anniversary my love, I’m so lucky to be yours.”
Billie and Finneas Are Best Friends
She gave him a special shout-out at Variety‘s Hitmakers brunch while accepting the Hitmaker of the Year Award in December 2019. “When we were working on [When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?], somebody told me and my brother, Finneas, who’s my cowriter, that there was no hit on the album,” she admitted. “I don’t know how that was supposed to help anyone, but that fool was wrong!”
Billie continued, “A big thank you to my big brother, Finneas. Finneas is my best friend, my big brother, he’s four years older than me and we’ve been best friends forever. We started making music together when I was 13 and he was 17; he produces everything. He’s the only reason I’m anywhere in the whole world and he’s probably the only reason I’m alive.”
We can’t get enough of the O’Connell family!
