Let’s be real: in the age of hyperspeed TikTok cycles and AI-generated celebrity deepfakes, finding a story that is actually, authentically weird is getting harder. But if you’ve spent any time in the alt-rock or pop-punk corners of the internet lately, you’ve probably seen the name Yungblud (Dominic Harrison) pop up alongside Billie Eilish.
It’s not because of a secret collab—though fans have been begging for that since 2019. It’s because of a photo. A very specific, very accidental, and very "how did this pass through three legal departments" photo that ended up in Billboard magazine.
If you're confused, don't worry. This is the kinda story that makes you wonder if anyone in the music industry actually looks at the pictures they print.
The Infamous Billboard Photo "Accident"
So, here’s the deal. Back in 2019, at Coachella—because where else do these things happen?—Yungblud and Billie Eilish were hanging out at a record label party. Yungblud was 19, riding the high of his early success, and dressed in his signature style: tight leather pants.
Here is the kicker: Dom doesn't usually wear underwear.
"I wear leather pants, obviously, right? And often I don’t wear underwear," he recently admitted on Lottie Moss’s Dream On podcast. It's a choice. He likes the fit, the look, the vibe. But Coachella is hot. Leather is not breathable. He decided to change into shorts for the party but, keeping with his "no-undies" tradition, he just threw them on.
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When someone shouted for a photo of him and Billie Eilish, he bent down to get in the frame. Physics took over. As he told it, his "knob" basically fell out the side of the leg of his shorts.
Why the Internet is Obsessed Again
The crazy part isn't even the slip-up. It’s that the photo didn't just stay on a random person’s iPhone. It was sent to Billboard magazine, edited, proofread (theoretically), and printed.
"How the f*** did it go from the party to in print in Billboard magazine? It’s gone through like three boardrooms," Yungblud laughed during a December 2025 interview.
Honestly, he’s right. Usually, a high-tier publication like Billboard has a dozen pairs of eyes on every pixel before a magazine goes to press. Somehow, this one slipped through. It’s since become a piece of internet lore. Apparently, producer Benny Blanco even has the photo framed in his house.
Beyond the Slip-Up: The Real Connection
While the "penis picture" (as the subreddit r/yungblud affectionately calls it) gets the most clicks, there’s actually a pretty deep respect between these two. They both emerged around the same time as the new faces of "genre-less" music.
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Billie was the moody, whisper-pop disruptor. Dom was the high-energy, political, pink-sock-wearing punk.
They’ve crossed paths more than just at Coachella parties:
- The Hot Ones Incident: Billie once told a story on Hot Ones about being with Yungblud at Lollapalooza when her beanie was thrown into the crowd, leading to a minor meltdown and a sprained ankle.
- Climate Advocacy: Both appeared in the 2022 documentary Overheated, which tackled climate anxiety. Billie is famous for her sustainability riders, and Dom has frequently spoken about environmental responsibility in his "Black Hearts Club" community.
- Industry Support: While Billie has faced heat for things like Billboard's coverage of her stance on vinyl variants, Yungblud has been one of the few artists to consistently defend the "authenticity" of his peers. He’s often cited her as a "legend" for sticking to her guns.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Duo
People love to ship them. They see two alternative icons and assume there’s a secret romance or a brewing rivalry. In reality, they seem to be more like "war buddies" who survived the 2019 explosion of alt-pop together.
The Billboard incident actually highlights a bigger trend in how we consume celebrities now. We don't want the polished, PR-vetted version of Yungblud or Billie Eilish. We want the version that accidentally flashes a camera because they're too chaotic to wear boxers under leather pants.
It's that "uncanny valley" of fame. We know they're superstars, but we like them better when they're human.
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Why This Matters in 2026
You might be wondering why this matters now. It's because the music industry is currently obsessed with "authenticity" but often fakes it with "get ready with me" videos that have a crew of five behind the camera.
The Yungblud and Billie Eilish story is a reminder of a time when "alternative" actually meant something a little messy. It wasn't a curated aesthetic; it was a 19-year-old kid from Doncaster making a fool of himself in a global magazine and laughing about it five years later.
Insights for Fans and Creators
If you're a fan of either, or just someone interested in how celebrity PR works, there are a few takeaways here:
- PR isn't always perfect. Even the biggest magazines in the world make massive, hilarious mistakes.
- Vulnerability wins. Dom owning the story rather than trying to sue Billboard into oblivion made him way more likable to his fan base.
- The "Alt" overlap is real. Whether it's Billie, Yungblud, or even guys like Nat Wolff (who toured with Billie recently), the alternative scene is tighter than it looks from the outside.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of these artists, your best bet isn’t looking for more "accidents." Check out the Overheated documentary to see them talking about stuff that actually matters, or hit up the latest Reddit threads where the "Black Hearts Club" and Eilish fans are still debating if a collab will ever actually happen.
Check your local listings for "BludFest" or Billie’s upcoming tour dates. Just... maybe wear underwear if you're planning on being in the front row.
Next Steps:
- Keep an eye on the r/yungblud and r/billieeilish subreddits for any mentions of a 2026 collaboration, as rumors of a joint project have intensified after their recent festival appearances.
- Watch the documentary Overheated to see the serious side of their partnership beyond the headlines.
- Follow Billboard's archive sections if you're a collector; physical copies of the 2019 issue featuring the "slip-up" are now considered rare "holy grail" items for hardcore fans.