Billie Eilish hails her fans as ‘more important than me’ in new film

By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter

Billie Eilish has called her fans “more important than me”, and said they are the real focus of her new concert film.

The singer-songwriter stars in the 3D concert film, titled Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour, which she also directed and produced alongside award-winning filmmaker James Cameron.

Speaking at the UK premiere of the documentary, Eilish said: “I just love everything that has to do with the fans.”

The pop star continued: “I feel like the connection that I have with the fans is what it’s all about for me, and the only reason I am interested in touring at all, and it’s what I enjoy so much about performing.

“I’m just really glad that we captured that.

“They are as important as me in the movie, if not more so to me, so I feel really grateful.”

Eilish also hailed her hands-on involvement in the behind-the-scenes creative process for the film as “magical” and told the Press Association: “It was all (Cameron’s) idea.

“It was an insane idea that I would have never come up with on my own. And I also was not planning on filming this show at all, and I was already regretting that.

“I was feeling like, ‘I love this show so much I want to have it exist forever’, and it just all happened kind of all at once. Pretty magical stuff.”

The star has previously moved into the world of cinema, having sung the theme song for the 2021 James Bond film No Time To Die, and written tracks for films including Barbie (2023) and Turning Red (2022).

Eilish has also been at the subject of recent speculation that she will make her film debut as Esther Greenwood in an upcoming adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s best-selling 1963 novel The Bell Jar.

The singer, known for hits including Ocean Eyes and Bad Guy, wore a navy blazer over a vibrant blue shirt, grey trousers and a striped tie to the event at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London.

Eilish accessorised the ensemble with silver jewellery including chunky rings, and a pair of oval reading glasses, and wore light make-up.

Fans erupted into screams as the star arrived on the blue carpet and, when interviewed by host Clara Amfo, the singer told her excited supporters: “I love you guys so much.”

Cameron was also in attendance at the event at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London, and wore a black blazer over a black turtleneck, paired with navy trousers.

The filmmaker, known for Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009), also talked of the importance of Eilish’s relationship with her fans in the film and told PA: “We get a little bit more behind the scenes, a little bit more into her, her kind of theory of herself and what it means, and what she means to her fans, what they mean to her – all that.

“That narrative that runs kind of behind the show, and you start to understand the show better.

“At first it just looks like a bunch of silly people, just kind of a frothy pop culture, but you realise that there’s a deep emotional connection where they’ve all been on a journey together.”

Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour will be available to watch in cinemas from May 8.