Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas truly seem to have the magic touch — whatever they create turns to gold, or in this case, into a golden statue. But there’s more to their latest hit than just their usual talent. This time, the credit doesn’t only go to them, but also to a group of enthusiastic schoolchildren.
In a heartwarming twist, Billie and Finneas teamed up with students from Garvanza Elementary in Los Angeles, the very school they once attended, to write a song. The siblings got the chance to step into the role of music teachers for the day, as part of a fun initiative by a YouTube channel called Celebrity Substitute. This channel invites celebrities to experience a day in the classroom and adds a creative spin to the whole process.
Naturally, Billie and Finneas approached the challenge with humor, turning the classroom into a lively, noisy space filled with kids eagerly contributing their ideas — but most importantly, a lot of music. The duo decided to co-write a song with the students, who were more than happy to voice their opinions, especially when it came to Finneas’ chord choices. After a bit of back-and-forth, they agreed to start the song with an A chord, and the melody started coming together.
The next step was to write the lyrics, which, as you can imagine, turned into a whirlwind of fun and randomness. The kids’ suggestions were all over the place, ranging from ghosts and snow to the name “Freaky” and even a shout-out to rapper Kendrick Lamar. Amid the creative chaos, they somehow landed on a truly unique and unexpected theme: a female polar bear cheating on a male polar bear. The song tells the heartbreaking story of the male polar bear’s emotional journey — an odd yet touching tale that somehow works.
And just like that, “Polar Bear” was born — which Billie herself has called “the best song” she’s ever written. The song initially started with the polar bear sitting alone among rocks, but then one of the kids pitched the idea of the polar bear befriending a snowman who also liked polar bears. This small change added a heartwarming twist to the song, turning the chilly story into something more uplifting. It’s the kind of quirky and touching story that could catch the attention of music award shows, if you catch their drift.
Not every student was fully sold on the final result, though. For example, Owen was not impressed with the song’s lack of “freakiness.” But beyond the song itself, the project had another important aspect: the video also helped fulfill the school’s wishlist, with Amazon providing musical instruments for the students and classrooms.
This project highlights an important issue in education. While music is a part of many schools’ curriculums in the U.S., over 7,000 schools still lack music programs, according to SaveTheMusic.org. This gap is a missed opportunity since research shows that learning music from a young age can boost brain development, improve skills like language learning, and even improve mood and emotional regulation.
So, while the song Billie and Finneas created with the kids might not win a Grammy (though we wouldn’t be too surprised if it did), it’s an experience that will stick with everyone involved. It’s also a heartfelt tribute to music teachers everywhere, reminding them of their vital role in nurturing creativity and artistic expression. And who knows — maybe “Polar Bear” will be a bigger hit than anyone expects, just like Billie’s incredible eight Grammy nominations for 2025!