Skip to main content

Home Music Music News

Billie Eilish discusses Tourette’s syndrome: “I am incredibly confused by it”

"If you film me for long enough, you’re gonna see lots of tics”

By Joe Goggins

Billie Eilish and David Letterman, 2022
Eilish headlines Glastonbury next month. (Photo: YouTube)

Billie Eilish has continued to discuss her Tourette’s syndrome, hitting out at onlookers who have made fun of her tics.

The neurological disorder is well-known for manifesting itself in uncontrollable verbal outbursts, but is also characterised by similarly instinctive physical movements. Eilish talked through her battle with the condition as part of an in-depth discussion with legendary talk show host David Letterman, as part of an episode of the latest season of his Netflix series, ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction’. 

“If you film me for long enough, you’re gonna see lots of tics,” said Eilish during the interview. “What’s funny is so many people have it that you would never know. A couple artists came forward and said, ‘I’ve actually always had Tourette’s,’ and I’m not gonna out them because they don’t wanna talk about it, but that was actually really interesting to me.”

The ‘Happier Than Ever’ star, who heads out on a massive UK tour next month, had not previously discussed her Tourette’s, but said she was “very happy talking about it.” Elaborating on her decision to go public, she said: “I really love answering questions about it because it’s very, very interesting, and I am incredibly confused by it. I don’t get it.”

She went on to talk about the difficulties she’d experienced in terms of the reactions of others to her condition. “The most common way that people react is they laugh because they think I’m trying to be funny…and I’m always left incredibly offended by that,” she said. Acknowledging that fans might be surprised to hear that she has the condition, as well as divulging that some of her tics fade with time, she added: “These are things you would never notice if you’re just having a conversation with me, but for me, they’re very exhausting.”

Eilish brings her ‘Happier Than Ever’ tour to these shores in June, ahead of becoming the youngest solo headliner in the history of Glastonbury festival when she tops the bill on the Friday night. She will host a six-day climate emergency event, ‘Overheated’, in London whist in town. See her full dates below.

Billie Eilish, June 2022:

3 – Belfast, SSE Arena

7 – Manchester, AO Arena

8 – Manchester, AO Arena

10 – London, The O2 Arena

11 – London, The O2 Arena

12 – London, The O2 Arena

14 – Glasgow, SSE Hydro

15 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena

16 – London, The O2 Arena