Billie Eilish on Coming Out: ‘I Didn’t Realize People Didn’t Know’

Billie Eilish has confirmed that she recently came out in her Variety Power of Women cover story, in which she first revealed her attraction to women.

On the red carpet at Variety‘s Hitmakers event, Eilish shared that she didn’t intend to make a grand gesture of “coming out,” and was actually surprised by the public’s reaction to her comments. “I kind of thought, wasn’t it obvious? I didn’t realize people didn’t know. I just don’t really believe in it. 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.”

In the November profile, Eilish opened up for the first time about her feelings for women, telling Variety‘s Katcy Stephan, “I’ve never really felt like I could relate to girls very well. I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real.”

“I have deep connections with women in my life, the friends in my life, the family in my life,” she continued. “I’m physically attracted to them. But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”

At the Hitmakers event, where the singer is being honored with the award for Film Song of the Year alongside her brother Finneas, Variety’s Tiana DeNicola also asked if her perspective on how other women feel about her has changed following the story’s release. Eilish replied, “I’m still scared of them, but I think they’re pretty!”

Eilish will be feted at Hitmakers today for her song “What Was I Made For?”, which is featured prominently in Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie.”