Billie Eilish’s First “Real” Song: How The Walking Dead Inspired “Fingers Crossed”

Before Billie Eilish became a global music sensation, she was a creative 12-year-old channeling her love of storytelling and music into her first “real” song—Fingers Crossed. Inspired by the hit television series The Walking Dead, this early track showcased Billie’s budding songwriting talent and set the stage for her later success.

A Young Artist’s Beginning

Born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell on December 18, 2001, in Los Angeles, Billie grew up in a family steeped in the arts. Alongside her brother Finneas O’Connell, she was homeschooled and immersed in music from an early age. By age 8, she was a member of the Los Angeles Children’s Choir, sharpening the vocal skills that would become a hallmark of her sound.

Writing “Fingers Crossed” at Age 12

While some sources claim Billie wrote Fingers Crossed at 11, research indicates she was 12 when she penned the song. According to Songfacts, Billie’s mother, Maggie Baird, assigned her a songwriting project to create a song inspired by a movie or TV show. Drawing from her fascination with The Walking Dead, Billie crafted Fingers Crossed in late 2014 or early 2015—just before turning 13.

Released on SoundCloud on September 14, 2015, the song marked one of her earliest original compositions, produced by Finneas. Unlike later hits, Fingers Crossed was created for fun and shared with friends rather than commercial release.

Inspiration from The Walking Dead

Billie openly credits The Walking Dead as the spark behind Fingers Crossed. In interviews with Genius and Harper’s Bazaar, she revealed that she incorporated lines and themes from the show, including episode titles and apocalyptic imagery. Lyrics referencing being “infected” and “gone too far” echo the zombie-infested world of the series, underscoring how the narrative influenced her storytelling.

The Significance of Her First “Real” Song

Billie refers to Fingers Crossed as her first “real” song, highlighting its importance as a personal milestone. Alongside other early SoundCloud uploads like She’s Broken and Ocean Eyes, it reveals the start of her songwriting journey and her willingness to experiment with mood and theme. While Billie has since described the track as “bad,” its role in shaping her artistic path is undeniable.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Though Fingers Crossed may not reflect the polished pop star Billie Eilish would become, it offers a window into her early creative process—a young artist inspired by television, crafting music with raw emotion and imagination. For fans and music historians, it’s a fascinating chapter in the story of a now-global icon.

Would you like a deeper dive into Billie’s evolution as a songwriter or an analysis of how TV and pop culture have influenced her work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_atKMB9OVE&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD