Billie Eilish says 'vote like our lives depend on it' as she performs My Future at the DNC

Grammy award-winning artist Billie Eilish pleaded with Americans to "vote like our lives and the world depend on it" in the US' upcoming presidential election, while throwing her support behind Democratic candidate Joe Biden at the party's 2020 national convention.

The pre-recorded call to action from Eilish, 18, came before she performed her new song My Future at the virtual convention on Wednesday night and saw her also admonish incumbent President Donald Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, among other issues.

"Donald Trump is destroying our country and everything we care about," she said.

"We need leaders who will solve problems like climate change and Covid, not deny them.

"Leaders who will fight against systemic racism and inequality, and that starts by voting for someone who understands how much is at stake, someone who is building a team that shares our values.

"It starts with voting against Donald Trump and for Joe Biden."

Mr Biden, former vice president under Barack Obama, was confirmed on Tuesday as the Democrats' challenger to Mr Trump in the November 3 presidential poll.

California senator Kamala Harris was later formally nominated as Mr Biden's running mate, becoming the first black vice presidential candidate for a major party in the process.

Eilish, a first-time voter, encouraged others to back the pair's campaign for the White House saying "silence is not an option and we cannot sit this one out".

"We all have to vote like our lives and the world depend on it, because they do," she said.

"The only way to be certain of the future is to make it ourselves."

Afterwards, Mr Biden wrote on Twitter: “I’ll just say what @billieeilish said: vote like your life depends on it.”

Eilish was one of many scheduled musical performers at this year's convention, including John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Leon Bridges, Billy Porter and Maggie Rogers.

She performed her new track "My Future" alongside her brother and collaborator, 23-year-old Finneas O'Connell.

The pre-recorded performance commenced with Eilish standing at her keyboard, while singing the song's lyrics - which include the lines "'cause I'm in love with my future, can't wait to meet her" - in her famous falsetto.

O'Connell could meanwhile be seen playing the guitar as his sister moved her way through the song.