At Coachella last weekend, in a moment that seemed almost too good to be true, Billie Eilish joined her idol Lana Del Rey on stage for special performances of “Video Games” and Eilish’s breakout hit “Ocean Eyes.” In the days since, Eilish has reflected on what that experience meant to her both personally and professionally.
In an Instagram story, Eilish wrote that singing those songs alongside Del Rey felt entirely surreal. She acknowledged the profound influence Del Rey had on her own artistic development, saying that “Ocean Eyes” simply would not exist without Lana’s previous work paving the way. Eilish credits Del Rey with inspiring her distinctive style and helping shape the landscape of modern pop music.
This sentiment echoes comments Eilish made last year when talking to Del Rey for Interview magazine. Eilish told Del Rey that she “changed the way the music industry hears and sees music, and you changed the way people sing.” Del Rey in turn praised Eilish’s raw talent and authenticity even from her earliest releases.
The magic of their Coachella duet clearly left a deep impression on Eilish. While both artists have accomplished massive success on their own terms, the meeting of their talents on that festival stage seemed to crystallize Eilish’s journey from devoted fan to peer and colleague of the artist who lit the initial creative spark. It was a full-circle moment that symbolized the impact one pioneering performer can have by broadening the scope of possibilities for those artists who follow.
