Billie Eilish revealed in a new interview with Gayle King that she seriously considered taking her own life before she turned 17.
"I was so unhappy, and I was so joyless," the "Bad Guy" singer said of her experience in 2018. "I genuinely didn't think I would make it to 17."
Eilish, who turned 18 in December, confirmed to King that some of the dark lyrics in her song "Bury a Friend" were allusions to suicide, and said that the closest she came to taking her own life was when she was in Berlin.
"I think about this one time I was in Berlin and I was alone in my hotel, and I remember there was a window right there," Eilish told King. "I remember crying because I was thinking about how the way that I was going to die was, I was gonna do it."
But the singer revealed that her mom was the reason why she didn't end up going through with her plan — and said to King that she now does her best to support fans who are depressed and have thoughts of self-harm.
"I just grab [fans] by the shoulders and I'm like, 'Please take care of yourself and be good to yourself and be nice to yourself. Don't take that extra step and hurt yourself further,'" Eilish said.
The young singer, who became a household name last year after the release of her hit album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?," is nominated for numerous awards at the upcoming 2020 Grammys.
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- Billie Eilish says she used to judge all of the 'ugly a--- dresses' while watching the Grammys as a kid
- Billie Eilish did the same interview for a 3rd year in a row, and it really shows how she's grown
- Billie Eilish says parents thank her when their daughters don't 'dress like a slut'
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.
