Billie Eilish has revealed she is “doing everything I can” to suppress her Tourette syndrome tics, which is both a personal health update and a masterclass in public composure.

The 24-year-old singer, diagnosed at age 11, opened up on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast about the exhausting reality of living with the condition, which the NHS describes as causing involuntary sudden, repetitive sounds or movements known as tics, often triggered by stress, excitement, or tiredness.

“I do have Tourette’s and I have vocal tics but, luckily for me and for everyone else, they’re mostly just noises and I can keep them pretty quiet,” Eilish explained. “I go through phases of words becoming tics, but there’s a thing called suppressing, if you ever heard of it. When I’m in an interview, I’m doing everything in my power to suppress all of my tics constantly. And as soon as I leave the room, I have to let them all out.”

Poehler, of Parks and Recreation fame, steered the conversation toward intrusive thoughts - which the NHS defines as unwanted and often shocking thoughts and images. Eilish drew a vivid parallel: “Imagine those intrusive thoughts, but your mouth has to say them out loud, right? That is Tourette syndrome.”

She also addressed the all-too-common public misunderstanding. “I think what’s troubling about the way that people do not understand what Tourette’s is, if I start having a tic attack, like a lot of tics in a row, people are like, ‘Are you OK?’ This is very much normal. It’s like, if you didn’t see me tic today, you’re not looking at my knees, which are tic-ing constantly under this table, and my elbows that are like … I’m clenching my arms the entire time.”

While on camera, Eilish noted, “I’m really doing this the whole time - as much fun as I’m having - I’m doing everything I can to suppress every single tic that’s visible, from the top of my head to [my waist].” She added, “That’s how we, as people with Tourette’s, pretty much spend our days. Some people don’t even have the privilege of getting to suppress them at all in any way. The not understanding of that is really frustrating, as a person with Tourette’s.”

Eilish, who rose to fame at 14 with Ocean Eyes and has since racked up two UK No 1 singles, three chart-topping albums, 10 Grammy awards, two Oscars, and three Brit Awards, continues to navigate fame with tics in tow - and a whole lot of restraint.