Damon Albarn on potential Billie Eilish collab: ‘I’m sure it’ll happen’
‘I really rate her, and I'd love to work with her at some point’, Albarn told Zane Lowe.
Damon Albarn has reiterated his hopes to collaborate with Billie Eilish, sharing that he’s “sure it’ll happen” one day.
The Blur and Gorillaz frontman first expressed his enthusiasm about potentially working with the pop sensation back in September, telling Apple Music 1‘s Matt Wilkinson that he’s confident a studio project could eventually emerge.
“I think we keep trying to do it. It’s just a case of schedules,” he said.
Albarn’s comments came after he made a guest appearance during Eilish’s headline set at last year’s Coachella festival in Indio, California. The pair treated the crowd to joint renditions of ‘Happier Than Ever’ (the title track of Eilish’s second album) and ‘Feel Good Inc’ (the lead single from Gorillaz’s 2005 record Demon Days).
Now, Albarn has re-affirmed his commitment to a collaboration, if they can make it happen.
“I really rate her, and I’d love to work with her at some point,” the singer told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe in a new interview.
Albarn added that while they haven’t recorded anything yet, they had been for lunch. He also joked that after telling the table “I really fancy making some music”, everyone looked away.
“I looked like a right doofus,” he laughed, but added: “At some point, I’m sure it’ll happen.”
When asked by Lowe if they pair were already in discussions when Albarn joined the singer at Coachella, Albarn said he recalled talking to Bad Bunny around that time instead, who features on Gorillaz’s track ‘Tormenta’ from their new album Cracker Island, out Friday (February 24).
Introducing Albarn at Coachella last year, the singer told the audience: “This man changed my life in a lot of ways and changed my complete view of what music could be, and what art could be, and what creation could be.
“My first favourite band ever was The Good, The Bad and the Queen when I was six and Blur changed the world and Gorillaz changed the world, and this man is literally a genius, and that’s that.”
Albarn had previously described the singer and her brother/collaborator Finneas as “really interesting songwriter[s]” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, adding that he was a fan of Eilish’s “minor and odd” sound.
Hear the full interview today (Thursday 23 February) at 6pm GMT on The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music 1.