Jesse Rutherford was one of the most Googled men in the UK this morning after Billie Eilish confirmed her relationship with the American singer, lead vocalist of the Neighbourhood, in an interview with Vanity Fair. Jumping to the top of Google Trends, ‘Billie Eilish boyfriend’ and ‘Who is Billie Eilish dating?’ became breakout search terms.
But there was another search question that trumped the rest and speaks to a growing concern around Billie’s new relationship: ‘Jesse Rutherford age’. You guessed it, the pair have a major age gap. With Billie turning 20 years old on 18th December last year, Jesse is 11 years her senior at 31 years old.
It’s no surprise then that eyebrows have raised, TikTok ablaze with commentary on the age gap between the pair since they were first spotted out to dinner together in early October. The pair then shocked the internet on Halloween when they were seen wearing costumes of an old man and a baby (Jesse and Billie respectively), seemingly taking swipe at the age gap comments about their relationship.
The same questions that always come up every time an older man chooses to date a woman before her pre-frontal cortex has developed (which is fully formed by age 25 by the way, so Leo we’re looking at you) are being asked. What does a 31-year-old have in common with a woman who mere months ago would be described as a teenager? Why would a grown man want to date a woman who, simply biologically, has not fully emotionally matured? Even with the age-old excuse that women mature faster than men (or rather, are forced to due to societal expectations), many women would agree that how they approached relationships, processed their emotions, and understood their sexual agency was vastly different at 20 compared to 25, let alone 30.
Billie’s interview, it feels, is an attempt to quell growing concerns on social media that she was emotionally manipulated into the relationship. ‘It’s really cool and I’m really excited and I’m really happy about it,’ she told Vanity Fair. ‘I managed to get my way to a point in my life where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f*cker alive but pulled his ass. Are we kidding me? Can we just [clap]? Round of applause for me. Jesse Rutherford everyone, I pulled his ass. All me. I did that shit. I locked that mother*cker down.’
Jesse, an alternative rock musician, previously dated model Devon Lee Carlson, 28. The pair were the internet’s favourite couple for their six-year relationship, once collaborating on a Valentine’s Day limited edition shirt with Marc Jacobs which sold out in minutes but split in November 2021. In an interview with Call Her Daddy earlier this year, Devon insisted the pair were still friends and had a mutual breakup.
But as far as Billie and Jesse go, the internet points to their long-standing friendship prior to dating. According to photos posted by a Jesse Rutherford fan account on Twitter, they have known each other since 2017, when Billie was 15 and Jesse 26.
That's why fans are particularly worried about the relationship, pointing to videos of a teen Billie where she's seen obsessing over even meeting Jesse in person. It's clear she's been a major fan of him for years, some questioning how the power dynamic between them can be equal when she, 11 years is junior, spent her formative years enamoured by him.
Of course, some argue that the entire narrative is patronising. That by assuming Billie is being emotionally manipulated into this relationship, fans are taking away her agency and infantilising her - even if it comes from a place of love and protectiveness. Billie seems to agree, when asked what constructive criticism she would give her fans, she seems to want them to leave her to it. ‘To trust me,’ she replied. ‘I’m in control, I’m in charge, I know what I’m doing. I’m okay.’