Their performance raises awareness and funds for small businesses in need during the pandemic
On Earth Day last week, April 22, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas (the subjects of our upcoming cover story), took to the virtual stage in Finneas’ new home to perform a live acoustic concert. If you missed it, here is that video.
They do a wonderful acoustic version of “Bad Guy,” Billie’s biggest hit, written with and produced by Finneas, which was awarded with the Grammy for Best Song this year.
In addition, Finneas performs his beautiful hit, “Let’s Fall In Love For Tonight” by himself on guitar, and with his sister’s lovely harmonies, delivers “Break My Heart Again” on piano.
It was part of Verizon’s Pay It Forward Live series, a weekly production of intimate at-home performances, intended to project “an element of social good.”
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Dave Matthews, Alicia Keys and Luke Bryan have all performed on the series, and in each have named a small business affected by the ongoing pandemic, with the goal of raising awareness — and funds — to help keep it going.
“Small businesses are a crucial part of our community,” said Billie, “and it is so important that we support them during this crisis. I am honored to be able to call attention to these local businesses, who have made an impact on my life, and are trying to make the world a better place.”
Billie and Finneas, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, shone their light on Support + Feed, an organization launched by their mother, Maggie Baird, that supports local restaurants — and is also helping feed essential workers on the front lines.
Maggie makes an appearance in this video to talk about this cause and the crisis of global warming, which persists even during the pandemic.
Participating Support + Feed plant-based restaurants in New York and Los Angeles are helping to facilitate CDC regulated, coordinated food deliveries to vetted organizations, hospitals, first responders, senior centers, homeless shelters, and women’s centers.
Viewers are encouraged to offer support by ordering items/meals online, buying a gift card for future in-person use or simply donating.
“I know a lot of you are struggling right now,” said Finneas, “and it seems like a crazy time to think about others. But I feel thinking about others, and empathy, is the thing that makes everyone actually feel better… Helping other people who are hurting right now is so important.”
Among the many restaurants participating in Support + Feed is Donut Friend, the kitschy rock & roll donut shop founded by Rocket From the Crypt/Drive Like Jehu indie-rocker Mark Trombino.
If you go there, Maggie suggests, “you can ask for the ‘Billie Ache,’ a donut they make on the secret menu. It’s a gluten-free donut, with lemon curd and chocolate mousse and raspberry on top. It’s really good.”
Verizon has pledged to donate $10 to this cause each time the hashtag #PayitForwardLIVE is used on social media, up to $2.5 million in total.
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