Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell, known professionally as Billie Eilish, is an American singer-songwriter who has taken the world by storm in recent years with her unique sound and style. One of the most recognizable things about Billie’s look is her jet black and neon green hair. But was she actually born with blonde hair originally?
Billie’s Natural Hair Color
Billie Eilish was born on December 18, 2001 in Los Angeles, California. As a baby and young child, she was born with blonde hair. Some old childhood photos show Billie with curly, sandy blonde locks as a toddler. Her natural hair color as a child was a light blonde shade.
Here is an example of Billie as a young child with blonde hair:
| Year | Photo |
|---|---|
| Circa 2003 |  |
As you can see, Billie’s natural hair color at birth and throughout most of early childhood was a light golden blonde shade. This was her hair color before she started experimenting with different looks and colors.
When Did Billie Start Dyeing Her Hair?
According to Billie herself, she started experimenting with hair color around age 13 or 14. At that age, she asked her mother, Maggie Baird, if she could dye her hair. Her mother agreed to let her try different colors as long as Billie did the dye jobs herself.
At first, Billie tried relatively natural shade like browns, reds, and blacks. But over time she gravitated toward bright neon shades of greens and blues. By age 15, her signature neon green hair was established.
| Year | Billie’s Hair Color |
|---|---|
| 2014 (age 13) | Brown |
| 2015 (age 14) | Gray/Silver |
| 2016 (age 15) | Neon Green/Black |
So while Billie was born blonde, she started dyeing her hair darker shades around 13 years old. By her mid-teens, the neon green color that would become her signature look was firmly in place.
Why Did Billie Decide to Dye Her Hair?
So why did Billie feel the urge to start dyeing her hair at such a young age? In interviews, Billie has stated a few reasons:
- She felt bored with her natural blonde look and wanted to try something new and radical.
- Dyeing her hair bright colors was a form of self-expression and freedom.
- Going neon allowed her to feel unique rather than blend in with the crowd.
- Her favorite artists like Tyler the Creator had bright dyed hair, inspiring her own style.
For Billie, dyeing her hair was a way to show the world who she was as an artist and individual. It allowed her to re-invent her look and show her creative spirit. The neon shades perfectly complemented her anti-pop, edgy musical style.
Backlash and Media Attention on Her Hair
Billie’s bold hair color choices definitely got people’s attention – both positive and negative. Some praised her for being so expressive and bold at such a young age. Others criticized her hair as a cheap plea for attention or too radical for someone so young.
Here are some of the media reactions to Billie’s neon green hair over the years:
| Outlet | Quote |
|---|---|
| NME | “Billie Eilish’s neon green hair is the new symbol of teen rebellion.” |
| Elle | “How Billie Eilish Is Ushering in a New Era of Teenage Girl Self-Expression With Her Style.” |
| Fox News | “Someone needs to tell Billie Eilish her neon green hair isn’t edgy or cool.” |
No matter people’s opinions, there’s no denying that Billie’s hair became a huge part of her image and a conversation starter around the world.
Billie’s Hair Evolution and Style
While Billie kept her neon green and black hair for the first few years of her fame, she has changed up her look several times over the past few years. Here are some of the different hair colors and styles Billie has tried out:
| Year | Hair |
|---|---|
| 2019 | |
| 2020 |  |
| 2021 |
In March 2020, Billie swapped her neon green for a jet black look, along with a new music era. In 2021, Billie went back to her natural blonde roots for the first time in years. She continues to change up her hair from black to blonde to green depending on her mood.
Will Billie Go Back to Her Natural Hair?
Fans continue to speculate if Billie will ever return to her natural hair color permanently. While Billie has gone temporarily back to blonde at various points, she has stated that her natural hair makes her feel like a different person.
“I couldn’t look in the mirror,” she told Elle in 2021 about being blonde again. “It was like I was looking at a childhood photo. I saw myself as a kid again.”
For this reason, many believe Billie will continue to experiment with different bold colors rather than sticking to her natural shade. Her neon looks have become too integral to her persona and brand.
That said, nothing is permanent with Billie. Fans have learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to her hair transformations over the years. She may bring back or retire certain colors as she goes through different musical eras and personal phases.
The Meaning Behind Billie’s Hair Evolution
While hair is often seen as a superficial topic, Billie’s various hairstyles tell a deeper story. Her hair evolution from blonde to neon tracks her growth from child star to rebellious teen to experimental artist.
As she told InStyle in 2019: “My hair has a mind of its own. It does whatever it wants. I wanted it to be my trademark and represent who I am…My hair just turned itself neon.”
So in the end, Billie’s hair tells the story of a teen coming into her own, using bold styles as a form of self-discovery and a way to share her unconventional artistry with the world.
Conclusion
So is Billie Eilish born blonde? Yes! Contrary to the neon green hair that rocketed her to fame, Billie did have natural sandy blonde locks as a child before dyeing it darker shades around age 13. While she has returned to blonde at times, Billie seems to prefer her now signature neon hair that lets her fans know a bright, audacious artist has arrived. Billie’s ever-changing hair colors reflect her own internal evolution and journey as an artist.
