Billie Eilish and Finneas Wowed by Bernie Taupin’s Tribute at Variety’s Hitmakers: ‘You’re the F—ing Man, Dawg!’
variety.comJem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Billie Eilish and her brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell have received Grammys, an Oscar and just about every award and honor and tribute and kudo young recording artists can imagine in the six years since her debut EP in 2017, but even they can still be awed by a tribute from a respected influence.
That happened at Variety’s Hitmakers celebration in Los Angeles on Saturday, when Elton John’s lyricist of 56 years, Bernie Taupin — who has written the lyrics for everything from “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” to “Bennie and the Jets” and “Candle in the Wind” — paid tribute to their songwriting partnership when rewarding them with the Film Song of the Year honor for “What Was I Made For?,” their song from the summer blockbuster film “Barbie.” Before an audience that included Boygenius, Joan Baez, Olivia Rodrigo, Victoria Monet and many others (SZA hadn’t arrived yet), the following exchange took place: Taupin’s tribute and Eilish’s response (Finneas just said “Thanks guys!”) follows in full.
TAUPIN: A lot of great people can write a lot of great songs with a lot of outside help. But not many find their one true songwriting partner that can cut through the noise and drive straight to the heart with a simple idea of melody and lyrics that can lift the world and touch us or in a way only a really great song and songwriter can.
Much like I’ve been blessed with my songwriting partner of the last 56 years, and others that come to mind: Everyone from George and Ira Gershwin to [Burt] Bacharach and [Hal] David to [Motown legends] Holland-Dozier-Holland and [Gerry] Goffin and [Carole] King.
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