Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas made history as the first songwriters to win the Chairman’s Award at the 35th Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards, which took place at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Thursday.
Taking to the stage to receive their award, the two donned matching black outfits, with Finneas in a black velvet suit and Billie in a black puffer jacket and cropped pants.
Billie’s affinity for comfy, oversized ensembles epitomizes the modern interpretation of elevated streetwear.
Billie Eilish dons her signature style at the 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on January 4, 2024 (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
At the awards show, the 22-year-old singer showcased her unique approach to red-carpet dressing by wearing a black puffer jacket from Purgatory, a Melbourne-based independent fashion label known for using oversized silhouettes and striking prints.
The now-sold-out $117 hoodie was cut from a rayon-bamboo blend and featured an all-over quilting design with an embroidered pattern of thorn hearts. It also had a pullover hood with a drawcord, drop shoulder sleeves with cuff ribbing, kangaroo pockets, stainless steel zipper, and an embossed rubber label.
In typical Billie Eilish style, she layered a menswear-inspired outfit underneath the oversized hoodie. She wore a large, white button-up shirt and a slim black necktie and teamed the look with baggy, cropped black pants.
Billie Eilish dons an oversized black quilted puff hoodie by Purgatory, a white shirt and a slim black necktie underneath, a pair of black baggy crop pants, and black Gucci lug sole loafers (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Billie Eilish teamed her bulky ensemble with white crew socks and a pair of Gucci loafers, giving her rather quirky look a sophisticated touch.
These are expertly made in Italy from polished black leather, featuring thick rubber lug soles for added height and a shiny, silver-toned Horsebit adorning the uppers. These are available for $1,150 at Mytheresa.
The Bad Guy hitmaker added a playful touch to her distinctive look by carrying her necessities for the awards show in a black Playboy backpack. She also wore the Alpina “Chillout” oval-shaped Y2K sunglasses with a yellow tint and hid her red-streaked raven hair beneath a black and red Gucci headscarf.
Billie Eilish styles her look with a red and black Gucci headscarf and a pair of Alpina Chillout yellow-tinted sunglasses (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Meanwhile, her brother Finneas Baird O’Connell opted for a head-to-toe black look, pairing a double-breasted velvet suit with matching trousers, a black shirt, and a bowtie.
He wore black-framed eyeglasses and completed the outfit with black oxfords.
Finneas Baird O’Connell looks dapper in a black velvet suit, matching trousers, and a black shirt with a black bowtie (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Billie Eilish and Brother Finneas’ Emotional Chairman’s Award Acceptance Speech
The Palm Springs International Film Festival Chairman’s Award is given annually to those who have made significant contributions and noteworthy achievements in the film industry.
Among the previous recipients of the Chairman’s Award include Viola Davis, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Hudson, Joaquin Phoenix, Regina King, Amy Adams, Matt Damon, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and Dustin Hoffman.
This year, singer Billie Eilish and her singer-songwriter brother Finneas O’Connell became the first-ever songwriters in history to win the Chairman’s Award.
Siblings Finneas Baird O’Connell and Billie Eilish receive the prestigious Chairman Award at the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
The two received recognition for their highly acclaimed song, “What Was I Made For?” from Greta Gerwig’s box office hit Barbie.
Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said, “We are thrilled to present the prestigious Chairman’s Award to Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for their celebrated original song ‘What Was I Made For?’ from Barbie. Billie and Finneas, with their unparalleled talent, have created a beautiful and ethereal ballad that perfectly evokes the poignancy of the journey Margot Robbie’s Barbie takes in the film. The Palm Springs International Film Festival proudly honors these visionary artists for their award-worthy musical contribution.”
In her emotional acceptance speech, Billie Eilish dedicated the award to those struggling with feelings of despair.
She began her speech by thanking Barbie director Greta Gerwig, who presented them with the award, before thanking the Palm Springs International Film Festival, saying, “I’ve been told that this is the first time this award has ever been given to songwriters and that’s really cool.”
Eilish also recognized Margot Robbie “for being such a star,” her label Interscope and Darkroom, Mattel, and Warner Bros.
She then went emotional, saying, “I would really like to say that this award and any recognition that this song gets, I just want to dedicate to anyone who experiences hopelessness, the feeling of existential dread and feeling like, what’s the point, why am I here and why am I doing this for?”
She continued, “I think we all feel like that occasionally, but I think if somebody like me, with the amount of privilege that I have and the incredible things that I get to do and be and how I have really not wanted to be here… sorry to be dark, damn, but I’ve spent a lot of time feeling that way.”
“I just want to say to anyone that feels that way, be patient with yourself, and know that it’s worth it all.” She added that “it’s good to be alive now” as she “didn’t feel like that for a very long time.”
She explained that she “was in a dark episode” when they were asked to write the song. “Things didn’t make sense, like, life, I just didn’t understand what the point was and why you keep going and, you know, just questioning everything in the world.”
She also added how Barbie resonated with how she’s feeling, adding that the movie “is the most incredible, most empowering, and beautiful…”
Billie Eilish dedicates their award to people experiencing homelessness, while Finneas thanked their parents for encouraging and believing in them (Credit: Marion Curtis / StarPix for Warner Bros / startraksphoto)
Finneas, meanwhile, thanked their parents, saying, “We weren’t raised by bitter people who hadn’t gotten to achieve their dreams. We were raised by people who did nothing but encourage us to believe in ourselves and pursue the dreams and passions that we had.”
“We would be nothing and nowhere without our parents. And I love them so much.”