Billie Eilish delivered a passionate anti-Trump speech at the Democratic National Convention last night (August 19), urging Americans to vote like their “lives depend on it”. 

The 18-year-old, who’s able to vote for the first time this year, is the youngest artist to appear at the Convention.               

“You don’t need me to tell you things are a mess,” she said. “Donald Trump is destroying our country and everything we care about.”

Eilish continued by voicing her support for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, saying that the country needs leaders who will solve issues like climate change and coronavirus, rather than “deny them”, as well as “leaders who will fight against systemic racism and inequality”.

“And that starts by voting for someone who understands how much is at stake,” Eilish added. “Someone who is building a team that shares our values. It starts with voting against Donald Trump and for Joe Biden.”

She concluded: “Silence is not an option and we cannot sit this one out. We all have to vote like our lives and the world depends on it – because they do. The only way to be certain of our future is to make it ourselves. Please register; please vote.”

The artist then debuted her newest track “My Future” – the second single Eilish has released this year, following the titular theme song she recorded for the next film in the James Bond franchise “No Time To Die”.

Watch the speech below, and read our spring/summer 2020 cover story with Eilish.