Pop
Finneas and Billie Eilish mourn Glen Hansard: 'Wouldn’t be who I am today without him'
Finneas, Billie Eilish and their mother Maggie Baird have paid heartfelt tribute to Glen Hansard, calling the late musician a defining influence on their family.
Finneas, Billie Eilish and their mother Maggie Baird have shared emotional tributes to Glen Hansard following news of the Irish singer‑songwriter’s death, describing him as a guiding force in their lives and careers.
The seminal musician died in a motorcycle accident on July 29 at the age of 56, prompting an outpouring of tributes.
Finneas reflected on Hansard’s impact in a deeply personal message, calling him a “North Star songwriter” whose music shaped his earliest steps as a performer.
He revealed that the first song he ever sang on stage was Falling Slowly from the acclaimed movie Once, for which Hansard won the Oscar for Best Original Song, at age 11, writing: “His songs made me want to write songs and they also made me cry. When our family met him in Dublin in 2019, he greeted us like old friends even though we were just his fans. Today I am a heartbroken fan. Hope he knew how much he meant to so many, this is how much he meant to me.”
Their mother, Maggie Baird, echoed the sentiment, saying Hansard’s work had been woven into their family’s creative DNA for years.
She recalled seeing Once - in which the late star also portrayed the leading role of a struggling musician named Guy - for the first time and how profoundly it affected them, noting that both Finneas and Billie grew up singing the film’s music.
She wrote: “Sometimes you get to meet your heroes and they are even more amazing than your dreams.
“Glen Hansard was a force in all of our family’s lives… I know Finneas and Billie would not be who they are without his music.”
Baird described meeting Hansard at Electric Picnic in 2019 as a moment of pure joy, and said his generosity and warmth stayed with them long after.
She added that she later made a film inspired by Once, and that seeing him perform at the Greek Theatre last year felt like “such a joy”.
Her tribute ended: “He was such a gift. I’m so so sad. I’m so grateful for what he brought to the world.”
Eilish reposted her mother’s tribute on Instagram, adding her own brief message: “devastated… wouldn’t be who I am today without glen.”
