'File photo: Eilish said she was amazed it was perceived as a coming out statement while on the red carpet for the Variety Hitmakers Brunch on Saturday. Picture: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Billie Eilish has slammed Variety for “outing” her as queer during a red carpet interview.
The ‘Bad Guy’ singer, 21, had previously said she was “physically attracted” to women when she sat down with the magazine for a profile in November and a journalist from the publication interpreted it to mean the singer was revealing she was a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Eilish was then asked by the reporter if she intended to come out while interviewing her on the red carpet for the Variety Hitmakers Brunch on Saturday.
She captioned an Instagram post after the event: “Thanks Variety for my award and also outing me on a red carpet at 11am instead of talking to me about anything else that matters.
“I like boys and girls leave me alone about it please literally who cares.”
At the Variety event, Eilish said she thought it was “obvious” she is queer.
She had told the publication in November: “I’m physically attracted to (women.) But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”
Eilish said she was amazed it was perceived as a coming out statement while on the red carpet for the Variety Hitmakers Brunch on Saturday, adding: “I didn’t (know I was coming out), but I kinda thought, ‘Wasn’t it obvious?’
“I didn’t realise people didn’t know.”
She also admitted: “I’m still scared of (women), but I think they’re pretty.
“I saw the article, and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I came out today!’ I just don’t really believe in (coming out.)
“I’m just like, ‘Why can’t we just exist?’
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I just didn’t talk about it.
“It’s exciting to me because I guess people didn’t know, so it’s cool that they know. I am for the girls.”
Eilish’s exes include rapper Brandon Adams, 24, who performs under the stage name 7:AMP.
Their romance was featured in the 2021 documentary ‘Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry’, in which Eilish spoke about their breakup, saying she “just wasn’t happy” while dating him.
She added to People at the time: “I didn’t want the same things he wanted and I don’t think that’s fair for him. I don’t think you should be in a relationship super excited about things that the other person couldn’t care less about.”
Eilish has also dated 32-year-old The Neighbourhood singer Jesse Rutherford.
They started dating in October 2022 and split in May, and after their break-up Eilish was seen getting cosying up to 28-year-old ‘Love, Victor’ actress Ava Capri.