Billie Eilish took New York City by storm on Friday as a headliner for Governors Ball music festival — but her performance wasn't exactly seamless.
Before Eilish took the main stage at 8:45 p.m., several fans had to be escorted or carried out of the crowd, presumably for medical issues. One fan in the crowd told Insider they'd seen three other patrons vomit. (Screens and signs posted throughout the festival reminded fans not to "overdo it," and to visit a medical tent if feeling unwell.)
In fact, the 19-year-old superstar herself was compelled to call attention to an issue in the middle of her set.
During her performance of the Grammy-winning ballad "Everything I Wanted," Eilish sat atop a large cuboid structure, which was then hoisted above the stage. While airborne, she pointed to a spot in the crowd and chastised "security," though it's unclear exactly to whom she was referring.
"Security, why aren't you paying attention? For real," she said into the microphone during the song's first verse.
After singing a few more lines, she added: "One job."
A source told Insider the perceived issue was not medical and did not pose any threat to the safety of the crowd.
"Everything I Wanted" was cowritten by Eilish and her older brother, Finneas O'Connell, who also performs in her live band and provides backing vocals.
The song, released as a standalone single in late 2019, was originally inspired by Eilish's experiences with depression and suicidal ideation.
"Finneas was like, 'I don't want to keep making these songs that are only sad and they never get better,'" Eilish told the New York Times Magazine. "He wanted to make songs that resolve in the end. I was like: 'But Finneas, that's not how things work in life. And I'm not going to lie in a song and talk about how I'm feeling good when I'm not.'"
The siblings decided to shelve the song and returned to it months later when Eilish "was in a better place" after going to therapy and prioritizing her mental health.
The revised lyrics became an homage to the duo's close relationship. In the chorus, O'Connell harmonizes with Eilish while she sings about her brother's support: "You say, 'As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you.'"
Now, when Eilish performs the song live, she dedicates its message to her fans.
"This song is for you," she told the crowd at Gov Ball on Friday.
Gov Ball continues this weekend in New York City with performances by Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, and others.
