Billie Eilish crushed it at the Academy Awards this evening. Along with her brother Finneas O’Connell, she performed the Oscar-nominated “What Was I Made For?” from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, and it was a simple and beautiful rendition that got everybody in the audience applauding. It was a wonderful performance of a wonderful song, but arguably the best part of her time on stage was the “Whoa” that she let out after amid the rapturous applause she received from the crowd in attendance.
Tonight didn’t mark the first time that Billie Eilish had a gig at the Academy Awards, as she previously sang “No Time To Die” at the event two years ago – but one got the sense from her this evening that there was a particular release of tension at the end of her set. As the last lines of her song echoed and the crowd started to clap, you could sense her recognizing the enormity of the moment and appreciating what she had achieved in a bright spotlight.
Given all of the acclaim Billie Eilish has earned and her experience as a professional, it can be easy to forget that she is a 22-year-old woman, and tonight she performed live in front of not just millions of people watching the TV broadcast, but for the biggest stars, talent and power players in Hollywood. That’s a whole lot of pressure, and so it’s incredibly human for her to express some relief in the immediate aftermath (especially considering her performance was, again, phenomenal).
Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell won the Academy Award in 2022, but whether or not they walk away from tonight’s ceremony with their second Oscar is still unknown – and they face serious competition for Best Original Song. In addition to being up for the prize with music from films like American Symphony, Flamin’ Hot, and Killers Of The Flower Moon, Barbie is going up against Barbie in the category, as “What Was I Made For?” is in competition with “I’m Just Ken.” We’ll have to wait and see which track the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences selects.
Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend all night for our coverage of the the 2024 Academy Awards, including live tracking of all the winners, taking a close look at the splashy fashion, and writing about the biggest moments of the night. And when the show is all done, if you want to enjoy “What Was I Made For?” in the context it was originally intended, you can always give Barbie another watch. In addition to being available for rental and purchase from online outlets and on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray, the Greta Gerwig film is now available to stream with a Max subscription.