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ILSE VON HEIMBURG: That was singer, songwriter and producer Finneas, who made his way to Chicago this past week as he nears the end of his For Cryin Out Loud! Tour.
MARY AMELIA WEISS: Fans gathered at The Salt Shed for his Wednesday night show, an indoor/outdoor music space in West Town. He performed for a sold-out crow d, which he thanked the audience members for at the beginning of his set.
VH: Finneas’s rising solo success in recent years highlights a notable trend in the entertainment industry: producers behind major hits often receive far less recognition and commercial success than the artists they work with.
W: Known mostly for producing prolific songs for his younger sister Billie Eilish, Finneas’s career has largely been one of supporting other artists. He has also worked with Lizzy McAlpine, Ashe, and more.
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W: This past week, however, it became clear that the 27-year-old producer has established a sound and brand of his own.
MOLLY ARMSTRONG: I mean, we started listening to Billie Eilish, and then found out that Finneas was producing all of her music and stuff, and then saw what he was doing on his own, and that was really, really cool. So, yeah, just got into it that way.
VH: Fans like Molly Armstrong expressed their excitement ahead of the show and how they’ve become fans of Finneas as an individual artist.
ARMSTRONG: He’s just got a different quality to his voice, and they’re just doing such different things. Now, at first it was a little more similar, I feel like, but now they’re going in different directions a little bit.
W: The show began with a set from the opener Bad Suns, an indie rock band from Woodland Hills, California, who performed hits like “Swimming in the Moonlight” and “Salt.”
VH: Some fans, like concert goer Leah Peitzmann, actually only attended the concert for Bad Suns’ 45-minute set.
LEAH PEITZMANN: “I’ve listened to them since, like, I was in high school… one of my friends likes them, and then I just started listening to them. They’ve also been on tour with a couple other bands that I like, like The Band Camino and The Wildlife. So I’ve seen them multiple times.
PEITZMANN: I’m curious to see [Finneas], but again, I bought the tickets for Bad Suns and not for Finneas.
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W: The main event began at around 8:30 pm when Finneas took the stage. His second song, “Lotus Eater,” was a fan favorite from his 2024 album For Cryin Out Loud! When asked about what she was most excited to hear, Armstrong said…
ARMSTRONG: Probably “Lotus Eater”…that’s my favorite off the new album.
VH: And other fans shared this enthusiasm as well.
AECH ASHE: “Lotus Eater.” I’m gonna be honest, I really love this song. I’m very excited.
VH: Fans like Aech Ashe highlighted the impact of a renowned producer’s transition into a lesser-known solo artist. Ashe decided to attend the concert alone, eager to fully immerse herself in Finneas’s music.
ASHE: I saw Spotify sent me a little message like, ‘Finneas is having a concert in Chicago.’ And I was like, Oh, my God, that’s so exciting. And I’m here by myself. I just figured it’d be like a fun little thing for me to do. I love listening to live music, so I thought it’d be fun Wednesday night.
W: Finneas went on to perform a 19-song set, including hits from his new album and deeper cuts from some of his earlier works. After fan-favorite “Lotus Eater,” he played “Cleats” and “Sweet Cherries” and then moved on to “What’s It Gonna Take To Break Your Heart?”. This one was a particular highlight because of the singer’s impeccable stage presence, and the colorful lighting that complimented the slower mood of the song.
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VH: The middle of the show also included some slower songs, like “Angel” and “Partners in Crime.”
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W: With these ballads, he kept the crowd at the Salt Shed captivated with his clear, smooth vocals. His versatility also shone through as he seamlessly switched between guitar and piano, all while maintaining his powerful vocals.
VH: And, more upbeat tracks like “2001” and “Mona Lisa Mona Lisa” interspersed in the set increased the crowd’s energy even further.
W: Before “Mona Lisa Mona Lisa,” a song about his long-term girlfriend Claudia Sulewski, Finneas told the crowd about his love for Chicago, Sulewski’s hometown, and his fond memories visiting the city in years past, adding a personal touch to the show.
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W: What set Finneas’s Wednesday night show apart was the strong sense of community among his fans, who came together to support a rising artist in an intimate, personal setting.
VH: It is common knowledge that producers of some of the most successful songs in the business often have their own solo work go underappreciated and underplayed – take pop producing legend Jack Antonoff, for example. Antonoff’s work with his band Bleachers has garnered far less attention than his collaborations with artists like Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, and Sabrina Carpenter.
W: Finneas, for his part, has said in past interviews that if he is only known as Billie Eilish’s brother, he is more than okay with that. And for the most part, that’s how many think of him.
VH: His only Grammy Award win without his sister, for example, was for his Producer of the Year in 2020 for his work on Eilish’s 2019 album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”.
W: However, after attending his show, it’s clear that the producer-turned-solo artist is carving out his own fan community and musical niche. Eilish’s current tour in support of her 2024 album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT marks the first time she’s touring without her brother by her side, and the differences in their sounds are becoming more apparent.
VH: While Billie’s music has become more experimental and atmospheric, Finneas’s solo work leans toward a more stripped-down, introspective style, highlighting his ability to blend heartfelt ballads with upbeat, indie-pop energy.
ASHE: I’ve been a really big Billie fan, but I feel like he has, like, his own music, and I love both of them individually. But like, I would say I listen to him not because of Billie, but, like, in addition.
W: Regardless of why fans showed up on Wednesday, Finneas said multiple times that he was grateful that they did.
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VH: To wrap up the concert, Finneas performed “For Cryin Out Loud!” and “Family Feud,” a touching number about this relationship with his sister. A rendition of his hit song “Till Forever Falls Apart” was also a standout, both for the energy and the way Finneas and his band eagerly jumped around the stage during the beat drops.
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VH: …Their enthusiasm for the song was infectious.
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W: The winners of the night were not just Finneas’s excited fans, but also the performer himself.
VH: Those who follow music and entertainment should keep an eye on this artist, both for his already-prolific production catalog and his rising solo career. Finneas seems to be carving out his own niche as a singer, and the excitement from fans at the Salt Shed was a testament to his growing influence.
WEISS: For WNUR News, I’m Mary Amelia Weiss.
VON HEIMBURG: And I’m Ilse von Heimburg.
