Who Is Billie Eilish’s Rumored New Boyfriend Jesse Rutherford? Plus, Dating Backlash Explained
Billie Eilish and The Neighbourhood's Jesse Rutherford have sparked romance rumors after being spotted together in LA several times by fans. The rumors have also caused controversy online.
Neither Eilish nor Rutherford have addressed the dating rumors.
Who Is Jesse Rutherford?
Rutherford is the 31-year-old lead vocalist of alternative band The Neighbourhood, one of the artists widely known for being part of the "Tumblr era" of music that also included the likes of Twenty One Pilots, Melanie Martinez, and Lana Del Rey.
The band, also known as The NBHD, originated in Newbury Park, Calif. in 2011.
Their biggest hit is "Sweater Weather," which was released in 2013 and has experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to TikTok dubbing it a bisexual anthem.
Rutherford dated model and influencer Devon Lee Carlson for six years before the couple broke things off in 2021.
Watch The Neighborhood's "Sweater Weather" Music Video Below:
Are Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford Dating?
Eilish and Rutherford have not confirmed the rumors, but fans are convinced after seeing the two out together.
According to E! News, fans saw the two having dinner at vegan restaurant Crossroads Kitchen on Oct. 13.
Then, two days later someone else shared a clip of the two holding hands at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights.
On Oct. 18, fans caught the pair kissing outside LA restaurant Lal Mirch, fueling the dating rumors.
How Did Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford Meet?
The two have been friends for years, with throwback photos from circa 2017 floating around the internet now that the dating rumors have swirled.
Fans have claimed online that Rutherford and Eilish met when the "Bad Guy" singer was 15 or 16 years old.
Billie Eilish and Jesse Ruthorford Dating Backlash Explained:
The age gap between the pair has raised some fans' eyebrows on the internet.
The 20-year-old "Happier Than Ever" singer has been rumored to have met Rutherford when she was 15 years old, making him around 26 at the time.
"jesse rutherford knowing billie eilish since she was 15 and then going and dating her is f---ing weird!" one fan tweeted.
Some even vowed to stop listening to The Neighbourhood if the rumors are true, with one fan saying, "Jesse Rutherford is too old for Billie Eilish and it is made worse by the fact that he met her when she was barely 16. The Neighbourhood is one of my favorite bands but it looks like I’m about to stop listening to them. I’m so devastated. I hope Billie knows what she’s doing."
See more reactions to the dating rumors, below: