Alicia Keys and Billie Eilish’s friendship dates back to when Alicia beautifully covered the 22-year-old’s “Ocean Eyes.” Keys recently gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at her preparation while getting ready for her Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show appearance with Usher earlier this month.
About 45 minutes before hitting the stage, she shared a story with her team about how her and Swizz Beatz’s 9-year-old son, Genesis Dean, wanted to become friends with Billie Eilish and send her a sweet video message.
“He says, ‘I want to talk to her.’ … He bothers me for three days in a row. ‘Can I please send a video? Can I please send a video?’ I said, ‘OK,’” Keys recalled.
The video clip finds Genesis politely introducing himself: “Hi, my name is Genesis and I really like your music. And I’m Alicia Keys’ son.”
Keys’ message attached to the video read: “Someone wanted me to send you this message. I hope it makes you smile. How are you, beautiful? Big love!”
Genesis repeatedly followed up with his mother in the days after hoping a response from the “Bad Guy” singer would be in her inbox. He ended up taking matters into his own hands and shot Eilish another simple text under his video, “Hi,” although Keys wasn’t thrilled about that.
However, Eilish eventually responded and admitted that the heartwarming video made her day. “Genesis, it’s Billie,” she replied in a clip alongside her brother, Finneas. “I’m ready to be your friend any day. I would like to be your friend. Alicia is my friend, I love her. I love you. Let’s hang out and be friends.”
Genesis Dean was born in December 2014 and is Keys’ and Beatz’ second child together. Keys also linked up with Eilish in December 2019 when she guest hosted The Late Late Show With James Corden, where Eilish was a special guest and they had the chance to duet to “Ocean Eyes.”
Watch it all unfold below around the 13:30 mark.
