Billie Eilish on the Barbie Soundtrack’s Impact on Women: ‘It Felt So Special’

Barbie has been breaking records since its debut in theaters in July. Apart from the colorful, pink-filled ensemble of the Margot Robbie-led movie, it was also lauded for its stellar original soundtracks, one of which includes Billie Eilish’s emotional ballad “What Was I Made For?” On the song’s impact, especially on women, the singer-songwriter expressed that it is something she never expected to help “bring people together.”

The song’s official music video, which Eilish also directed, sees the singer unpack a small box that carries miniature versions of her iconic looks inside. The song was also used in a specific scene from the movie, where Barbie doll creator Ruth Handler (portrayed by Rhea Perlman) educates Robbie’s stereotypical Barbie about what being a woman truly entails.

The scene and the song have inspired a TikTok trend wherein users — particularly women — upload videos of themselves sharing their own experiences of dealing with womanhood, which the singer found “so moving.”

“It was so moving, dude. It was so, so touching. I feel like I helped bring people together, and it felt so special,” Eilish told Variety.The scene and the song have inspired a TikTok trend wherein users — particularly women — upload videos of themselves sharing their own experiences of dealing with womanhood, which the singer found “so moving.”

“It was so moving, dude. It was so, so touching. I feel like I helped bring people together, and it felt so special,” Eilish told Variety.

The official synopsis for Barbie reads: “Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.”

Billie Eilish’s acting debut

Eilish has been a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, with her music releases garnering massive recognition. Her 2020 song “No Time to Die,” on the soundtrack to the 2021 James Bond film of the same name, won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song category. “What Was I Made For?” is also nominated for Record of the Year in the upcoming 66th Grammy Awards.

Apart from music, though, the singer also ventured into acting, having debuted in Prime Video’s thriller series Swarm where she played the manipulative cult leader Eva. The singer immediately received praises, with one fan saying, “she was way too good” in the series.