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Finneas | Source: Getty Images
Finneas Reveals the Rock Band That Inspired His Career and His Dream Collab
Finneas O'Connell revealed the rock band that sparked his love of music and named his dream collaborator while speaking at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.
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Finneas O'Connell has opened up about the iconic band that inspired his award-winning career. The musician and singer-songwriter was speaking about his musical roots and the early days of working with his sister, Billie Eilish, while attending the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
Finneas O'Connell attends Storytellers - FINNEAS with Anthony Willis during the 2026 Tribeca Festival at Spring Studios on June 9 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
During a discussion with Anthony Willis as part of the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival: Storytellers series on June 9, O'Connell recalled how awestruck he was the first time he saw Green Day perform live as a child.
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"I really have always wanted to make music for a living," he said. "I think I knew that from the time I was like 10 or 11 and I went and saw Green Day play a concert and I thought, 'I can't believe that's a job. I want to do that job.'"
O'Connell, 28, began working with Eilish, 24, in his late teens when he wrote and produced her debut song, "Ocean Eyes," which they initially uploaded to SoundCloud in 2015. He has since co-written and produced all of his sister's albums and has gone on to collaborate with other musicians as well.
Finneas O'Connell speaks onstage at Storytellers - FINNEAS with Anthony Willis during the 2026 Tribeca Festival at Spring Studios on June 9 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
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"The early portion of my professional life, so to speak, Billie and I started making music when we both still lived at home. I'm 18, she's 13. That's when we started collaborating with each other," O'Connell recalled of their beginnings in the music industry. "We started putting things on SoundCloud."
At that age, Finneas had already decided to skip college — a choice that raised eyebrows among his peers, though his parents stood firmly in his corner. When "Ocean Eyes" began gaining traction, he recognized it as a pivotal opportunity he was determined not to squander.
Billie Eilish and brother Finneas O'Connell arrive at the 2019 LACMA Art + Film Gala Presented By Gucci on November 2 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
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Even so, he admitted the song's success left him in a perpetual state of anxiety, haunted by the fear of losing momentum. He explained:
"It's tough because of course it would have been nice if I could go back in time and say, 'Hey, relax. It's going to be better than you could ever imagine it's going to be. But also I'm sure I wouldn't have stayed up all night every night working if I hadn't had that sort of like, 'I can't mess this up, I can't mess this up.' So, you know, it's a challenge there."
Billie Eilish and Finneas attend the 2019 Variety's Hitmakers Brunch at Soho House on December 7 in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
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O'Connell was so consumed by his craft that he would often still be at work when his father — who was in construction and kept early hours — came downstairs in the morning. The two would share quiet conversations in the kitchen before the day began.
After "Ocean Eyes," Eilish's career skyrocketed, sending her straight to superstardom. O'Connell has remained philosophical about his place in that trajectory. "I think that Billie is so popular and has so many fans that I'm like a little expansion pack," he joked. "That's just the way that I think about my life."
"It's mainly to instill a real gratitude for the amount of exposure that the work I've gotten to do with my sister has garnered," he added. "I feel lucky that that exposure has bled over to me a little bit. I don't say this as some kind of self-pity thing. I just feel really grateful to be riding the coattails."
Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, winners of the Song Of The Year award for "WILDFLOWER", pose in the press room during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
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Toward the end of the conversation, O'Connell was asked about his dream collaboration — and he had an answer ready without hesitation: Rihanna. Despite his enthusiasm, he admitted to feeling a little starstruck from afar. "I'm taking notes from the distance so I can just keep doing that also," he told Willis.
Beyond his work with Eilish, O'Connell has built a thriving solo career, with albums including "For Cryin' Out Loud!" and "Optimist." He also recently composed the score for the second season of Netflix's "Beef."
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