How Billie Eilish and Finneas wrote boy band music for Pixar’s “Turning Red”

A key part of tween life in the 1990s were boy bands, and even informed “Turning Red” director Domee Shi’s story to include them in her new animated film.

She knew she needed help from the top names in pop music today. When sister and brother duo Billie Eilish and Finneas were brought up to help with the fictional band’s music, Shi immediately knew she needed to convince them.

“Eilish captures the early 2000s pop sound I live through,” Shi said in an early press day. “But she and Finneas are also brilliant songwriters and could easily capture that lyric part of it too.”

Billie Eillish and Finneas.

In an effort to court Eilish and Finneas to contribute to the project, her team came together and made a real journal filled with “boy band love” that included magazine cut-outs, handwritten notes, and more elements that a real-life tween in the 2000s would have.

“They loved getting that journal and they ended up keeping it, so it was an easy ‘yes’ from them!,” Shi added.

Eilish and Finneas ended up writing three songs total that you’ll hear in the film, all performed by the fictional (but heavily inspired by all types of boy bands, past and present) boy band named 4*Town. The melodic themes apparently fit well with the film’s score, which is being done a very POP-ular composer these days, Ludwig Göransson, of “The Mandalorian” fame.

They even have their own website where you can hear some samples of the tracks themselves. You’ll have to wait till the full movie comes out for more!

4*Town’s Boy Band music will all be in Pixar’s “Turning Red” when it debuts exclusively on Disney+ beginning March 11. Look for our full spoiler-free review on the film soon!