Meet Billie Eilish’s Brother, Finneas O’Connell
He's been instrumental in her career.
Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock Over the last year or so, Billie Eilish has become a household name. Her debut album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?,” won the Grammy for Album of the Year, reached the Billboard 200 and contains five top 40 singles. She also has seven gold and three platinum singles in the United States.
The most shocking part? She’s only 18 years old! How’s that for talent?
But as successful as Eilish is, she’s not the only one in her family making a name for themselves. Along with her famous parents, Patrick O'Connell and Maggie Baird, her older brother is rising through the ranks and is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Who is Billie Eilish's brother, Finneas O'Connell?
Since her debut album’s release, he’s been in high demand and has been working with other singers. And now, he's appearing in his sister's music video for her song "everything i wanted,"
In the intro, she even gives a shout-out to her brother.
Here are a few things to know about Finneas O’Connell, his relationship with his sister, his booming career, and Eilish's new music video.
1. He’s a producer and songwriter.
O’Connell has been writing and producing songs since the age of 12. He’s currently the lead singer and songwriter for the band, The Slightlys, who have won competitions in the Los Angeles area.
He’s known mostly for his lyrics and creativity and has become one of the most sought-after new producers (he won the Grammy for Producer of the Year in 2020) without the struggle of being in the spotlight.
“It can get really invasive. What I’ve always wanted was for my work to be famous, to make the biggest songs, and that happened,” he said in an August 2019 interview. He also writes on piano mainly, but also plays bass or guitar during concerts.
2. How old is Billie Eilish's brother?
Like his younger sister, Finneas is a fresh, young talent. As of 2021, he will be 24 years old.
3. He’s an actor.
O’Connell appeared as Alistair in Glee, but also had a role as Spencer in the movie Bad Teacher. He had a recurring role in Modern Family and appeared in two episodes of Aquarius.
4. He co-wrote many of the songs on Billie’s album.
He either wrote or co-wrote every single song on the album, as well as the instrumentation! But he didn’t record the album in a fancy studio; instead, he and Eilish recorded almost the entire thing in their family’s home, creating a makeshift studio in O’Connell’s childhood bedroom.
“If she started writing songs that were 100 percent her songs, I’d be totally supportive of that. But the best parts of this album are the parts we did together. The stuff that’s groundbreaking is what’s interwoven,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. I feel like the album people expect to be the breakthrough, that first-time record we make — I made that 10 years ago,” he said.
In addition, he co-wrote and produced Billie’s debut EP, “Don’t Smile at Me.”
And he doesn't just limit himself to work with his sister. Since the release of her album, he’s been in the studio with big names like Camila Cabello and John Legend, and also plans to work with Sam Smith.
5. He’s not as popular as his sister ... yet.
But it doesn’t seem to bother him, because he’s still able to go out in public without being outright recognized and asked for a photo or autograph. There's no bad blood or competition between Eilish and Finneas.
Eilish has nothing but good things to say about her brother: “Finneas is the most talented person I’ve ever met in my whole life, and I know a lot of talented people. He’s so fast, too, which is so annoying. The way he thinks, I’ve always thought was so unique and inspiring. He’s the main reason I wanted to do music in the first place.”
6. O'Connell is now pursuing a solo career.
His EP, “Blood Harmony,” was released in October 2019, and his sounds as a solo artist are much different than Eilish’s. Finneas O'Connell's songs so far have been described as having “doses of ethereal, dreamy pop riddled with piano and light synth sounds.” Starting October 15, 2019, he went on a six-date North American tour.
His experimental sound is exactly what got him signed. According to Amanda Samii, creative vice president at Kobalt Music Group, AWAL’s parent company, “He’s breaking away from traditional, Top-40 radio.” Samii helped sign O’Connell in 2018 in the wake of Billie’s first single, “Ocean Eyes.”
The singer-songwriter's first single, “New Girl,” was released in 2016; his second single, “I’m in Love Without You” in 2017; he also released eight singles in 2018: “Break My Heart Again,” “Heaven,” “Life Moves On,” “Landmine,” “Hollywood Forever,” “College,” “Luck Pusher,” and “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night.”
7. He has a girlfriend ... who looks a lot like Billie.
He’s currently dating YouTuber Claudia Sulewski, who recently released her own line of clothing at Nordstrom. And he’s written a bunch of love songs and ballads about her, including “Claudia” and “Angel,” the former of which he wrote the first night they met.
Billie Eilish's brother's girlfriend also bears an uncanny resemblance to the singer herself.
8. He appears in Eilish's music video for her new song, "everything i wanted."
She even thanked him in the new music video, writing, "Finneas is my brother and my best friend. No matter the circumstance, we always have and always will be there for each other."
Photo: YouTube
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.