What Makes This Billie Eilish-Designed Ukulele Stand Out From The Rest

In September, Billie Eilish released her own signature ukulele. The artist collaborated with the iconic Fender team to create her own designs of the first instrument she ever learned to play. Nobody held back during this partnership and the results completely embodied the star’s bold and unique style.

Eilish’s limited-edition ukulele includes an array of features inspired by her one-of-a-kind musical career. It’s a stage-ready piece with a Sapele top, back, and sides. On top of that is a matte black finish with Eilish’s trademark symbol cleverly patterned over the entire body of the instrument. Even though it was developed by the esteemed musician, it can be easily enjoyed by anyone on any skill level. For music lovers looking to add another instrument to their belt or others simply searching for a new hobby, this ukulele is calling out to you.

“The ukulele was the first instrument I learned,” said Eilish in a press release. “It’s where I started writing, and where I found new ways of writing that I had never tried before. It inspires a different kind of writing. The rules of the ukulele are simple, and basically if you know three chords you can play almost any song. I hope my Fender Signature ukulele inspires people to start playing, and start writing; anyone can do it.”

Additionally, in honor of the history of the ukulele and where it comes from, Eilish alongside Fender made a contribution to the Aloha Mele Fund, a newly-established fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation. The funding was used to support coronavirus relief efforts for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Hawaii.

It’s clear that a lot of thought went into putting together this instrument, so Forbes did some investigating about how it all went down. We chatted with Fender’s VP of Acoustic and Squier Divisions Billy Martinez, who provided insight about how the collaboration came to life and what it was like to work with the one and only Eilish. The list of artists Fender works with are only continuing to grow and we can’t wait to see who they team up with next. Until then, check out Martinez’s behind-the-scenes interview below.

Isis Briones: How did the collaboration with Eilish first come about? 

Billy Martinez: “Fender’s Artist Relations team connected with Billie’s team at The Fonda Theater in Hollywood before one of her sound checks a few years ago. We were aware that Billie Eilish started her musical journey on a Ukulele and saw her playing it during that sound check. Therefore, it felt very natural to approach her with this collaboration concept with this in mind.”

IB: And what was it like working with her on elevating this classic instrument?

BM: “It was a great experience. She really embraced the Fender styling of our Ukulele line, including the 4-in line headstock that’s highly recognizable. We worked hand in hand with Billie and her team to create something unique, exciting, and ultimately something that was unmistakably Billie’s style. We couldn’t be happier with the results.”

IB: Can you let us in on any specific requests she had to ensure the quality of the instrument? 

BM: “Fender is a trusted brand with a rich history in working closely with artists and we ensure that they are part of the design and quality standards. In fact, she played this exact model in a custom color on her headlining tour, so she knew the quality would be such that her fan base would be proud to show off.”

IB: Finally, how will Fender's partnership with Billie continue to grow? Are there plans for her to inspire other products down the line? 

BM: “We at Fender are excited to see a successful launch of h first signature Ukulele with Billie Eilish. We pride ourselves in the relationships with our artists as they are the ones that take what we create and drive musical expression. We will continue to work on ways to collaborate with her and her team for future possibilities that inspire the next generation of musicians.”