The Most Subtle Takeaway From the Billie Eilish documentary You May Have Missed

The Billie Eilish documentary is great viewing for those who aren’t hardcore fans of hers. Even if you have no idea who she is and have never listened to her music, it’s a must-watch experience. Block out a full two hours and pop a generous amount of popcorn to watch “Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry“ on Apple TV+ because it’s worth it.

As someone who worked for years in radio and partied irresponsibly with rock stars on the record labels’ dime before Napster came along to change the whole game — followed by smart phones and social media — I can tell you Eilish is a rarity. Not just for being a modern version of Donnie & Marie without the religious aspect, or for her extreme talent. What makes Eilish different is her constant and consistent family support.

The family dynamic is void of drama. She and her brother are best friends, not competitors. Her parents are always present; Eilish is seldom on her own as a teenager (and turns 18 at the end of the documentary). I watched in awe at a family that gets along, not to mention they love and support each other.

Are we really seeing this in the age of reality shows? Or are we past that era now, hopefully? Can this be the moment in pop culture we’ve been waiting for, in which we exchange “reality TV” for something deeper and more wholesome?

The takeaway moment for me that proves the strength of the singer’s family in the documentary is when we see her mother being extremely validating. She is this way throughout the entire documentary, but this moment stands out.

Eilish is tired after a show and is led into a meet and greet that seems to never end. Every time she thinks it’s over, the label staff pull her back saying there are more people to meet. They don’t tell her who is important and who isn’t, so a tired and stressed Eilish finally snaps saying she’s tired of meeting “randos” but the label reps encourage her saying they really are “important” people.

The road takes its toll on older and more experienced artists. Eilish at this point is around age 17, and has a couple years of experience under her belt after nearly overnight success — but she’s still a kid. She’s also one with Tourette’s syndrome. From…