Billie Eilish and Finneas Say Glen Hansard Shaped Their Careers: "We Wouldn't Be Who We Are"

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard died on July 29 in a motorcycle accident at the age of 56. The Oscar-winning artist, best known for“Falling Slowly”from the film Once, has received tributes from some of the biggest names in music. Bruce Springsteen, Bono, and Nick Cave have all shared their condolences. But perhaps the most personal tributes came from Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas.

Finneas posted that Hansard was a“North Star songwriter”and revealed that“Falling Slowly”was the first song he ever performed on stage when he was just 11 years old. Their mother, Maggie Baird, wrote that her children“would not be who they are without his music.”Billie Eilish shared her mother’s words and added her own simple but powerful statement:“I wouldn’t be who I am today without glen.”It’s a reminder that the artists who influence us most aren’t always the ones at the top of the charts. Sometimes they’re the ones writing from the heart.

Hansard’s journey from a Dublin street busker to an Academy Award winner is the kind of story that inspires songwriters everywhere. He is survived by his wife and their young son Christy. His music will live on through everyone he touched, including two of the biggest pop stars of this generation. What artist or song has shaped your life the most? Drop a comment and let us know.