Billie Eilish is happier than ever to answer questions about her oft-misunderstood experience with Tourette’s.
The Grammy and Oscar winner, 20, opened up to David Letterman in the season 4 premiere of his Netflix show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” about the nervous system condition, which often sees people exhibiting tics or sudden twitches, movements or sounds.
“If you film me for long enough, you’re gonna see lots of tics,” said the “Happier Than Ever” singer, noting that she doesn’t care if people are privy to that part of her life.
“It’s really weird. I haven’t talked about it at all. The most common way that people react is they laugh, because they think I’m trying to be funny. Right?” said Eilish. “And I’m always left incredibly offended by that. Or they go like (turns around), ‘What?’ And then I go, ‘I have Tourette’s.’”
Eilish, who was diagnosed at age 11 following a childhood of “small” tics, said she’s “very happy” to discuss Tourette’s “because it’s very, very interesting. And I am incredibly confused by it.”
While some of Eilish’s tics have left her for a time, she said that save for performing — or times when she’s “moving and thinking, focusing,” such as singing or horseback riding — “I never don’t tic at all.”
In fact, she revealed that she has a slew of tics that many would struggle to notice, despite her engaging in them “constantly all day long,” including wiggling her ear or flexing certain muscles.
“These are things you would never notice if you’re just having a conversation with me. But for me, they’re very exhausting,” said Eilish. “It’s not like I like it, but I feel like it’s ... part of me. ... I have made friends with it. And so now, I’m pretty confident in it.”
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