LOS ANGELES, United States — Billie Eilish has described Rihanna as “the greatest of all time” while reacting to the possibility of collaborating with the global music star.
In an interview published Thursday by Complex, Eilish said she was stunned after learning Rihanna had previously named her as a dream collaborator.
“I literally thought it was AI, first of all,” Eilish said. “I’ve never met Rihanna. She’s literally my idol. She’s the greatest of all time. She’s my complete dream collab.”
Rihanna first expressed interest in working with Eilish in October during an interview with Access Hollywood, where she singled out the Grammy-winning singer when asked about artists she would like to collaborate with.
Reflecting on Rihanna’s remarks, Eilish said she could hardly believe the statement came from one of her musical heroes.
“I’ve never heard from her and I’ve never had any interaction with her, so why would I have ever even thought about it?” Eilish said.
“Then she said, ‘If only I could work with Billie.’ I was like, ‘Well, bitch, I’ve been sitting here this whole time!’”
The comments quickly drew attention online, fueling speculation among fans about a possible future collaboration between the two artists.
While Rihanna remains one of the most influential figures in pop music, she has largely stepped back from regularly releasing new music in recent years as she expanded her business empire and focused on family life.
Beyond Rihanna, Eilish also discussed several artists she has been listening to while touring, including Tom Odell, Sufjan Stevens, Patrick Watson and Mitski.
She also praised Tyler, The Creator for his artistic commitment and influence on her music. Eilish previously revealed that Tyler’s album Goblin inspired aspects of her latest project, Hit Me Hard and Soft.
“I always appreciate an artist who commits to it,” Eilish said. “You might not even like the music, but you have to admit they’re committing to the bit.”
The singer also opened up about her complicated relationship with social media, comparing it to an addiction.
“The issue is, I really love to interact with the fans when I’m on tour,” she explained, saying she enjoys watching fan videos and reactions online but often gets trapped scrolling for long periods.
“It’s my cigarettes. It’s really a problem,” Eilish said.
Eilish remains one of the world’s biggest streaming artists, with her latest album ranking among the most-streamed releases globally this year.
