Entertainment

Billie Eilish said she 'should not be headlining' Coachella and ended her performance with 'sorry I'm not Beyoncé'

billie eilish coachella 2022
Billie Eilish performs at the 2022 Coachella music festival. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella
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Billie Eilish took a moment in the middle of her performance at Coachella to thank fans for coming — as well as question her own place in the lineup.

Eilish took the stage in Indio, California on Saturday as the youngest headliner in the music festival's history. 

"I should not be headlining this shit!" she told the crowd, which included Insider's music team. "But I'm so fucking grateful that I'm here and that you guys are all here. This is such a dream come true. I feel crazy."

Eilish went on to declare her "three rules for the night," which included a blanket ban on judging others, "don't be an asshole," and "just have fun, bitch."

When her set concluded about one hour later, Eilish apologized.

"Thank you, Coachella! I'm sorry I'm not Beyoncé," she said, adding, "I love you, goodnight."

Beyoncé famously became the first Black woman to headline Coachella in 2018, delivering a career-defining performance that featured grueling choreography, several outfit changes, and a Destiny's Child reunion.

At just 20 years old, Eilish has also made history several times, having become the only woman in Grammys history to sweep all four major categories and the first Oscar winner born in the 21st century.

She has also headlined festivals like Governors Ball in New York City and Firefly in Delaware. She will soon become the youngest solo headliner in the history of Europe's biggest festival, Glastonbury in England.

Follow along with Insider's Coachella coverage here.

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Callie Ahlgrim
Callie Ahlgrim is a senior reporter at Business Insider who writes about pop culture, with a special focus on the music industry.As a cofounding member of BI's music vertical, Callie has covered a range of hot topics at the intersection of art, celebrity culture, and show business: the political implications of Bad Bunny's success; the fan feedback loop in Taylor Swift's creative process; the symbolism of Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show; the commercial impact of Beyoncé's country album; the brand identities of stars like Harry StylesMorgan WallenAddison RaeKaty Perry, and Frank Ocean; the modern challenges of making money as a musician; and more.She also covers celebrity PR strategies, blockbuster movies, prestige TV shows, and internet trends.Callie graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, a Bachelor of Arts in English, and a minor in Spanish. She previously wrote columns for Man Repeller and ELLE.