Insisting that she is not the kind of person as suggested by the edited clip, the 'Bad Guy' singer apologizes for using a word that she 'didn't know was a derogatory term used against members of the Asian community.'
- Jun 22, 2021
AceShowbiz - Billie Eilish has finally spoken up in the wake of a problematic video that portrayed her as racist. Breaking her silence on the matter, the singer/songwriter took to her Instagram Story on Monday, June 21 to apologize for her use of racial slur in the edited clip.
"I love you guys, and many of you have been asking me to address this. And this is something that I WANT to address because I'm being labeled something that I am not," so she began her message. "There's a video edit going around of me when I was 13 or 14 where I mouthed a word from a song that at the time I didn't know was a derogatory term used against members of the Asian community."
Billie admitted she is "appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever mouthed along to that word." Insisting that "this song was the only time I'd ever heard that word as it was never used around me by anyone in my family," she acknowledged, "Nothing excuses the fact is that it was hurtful. And for that I am sorry."
Billie then addressed another part of the footage that saw her seemingly mocking black and Asian accents. "The other video in that edited clip is me speaking in a silly gibberish made up voice… something I started doing as a kid and have done my whole life when talking to my pets, friends and family. It is absolute gibberish and just me goofing around, and is in NO way an imitation of anyone or any language, accent or culture in the SLIGHTEST," the 19-year-old explained her act in the video.
She continued, "Anyone who knows me has seen me goofing around with voices my whole life. Regardless of how it was interpreted I did not mean for any of my actions to have caused hurt to others and it absolutely breaks my heart that it is being labeled no in a way that might cause pain to people hearing it."
Claiming that "I not only believe in, but have always worked hard to use my platform to fight for inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality," the Grammy Award-winning artist went on noting, "We all need to continue having conversations, listening and learning. I hear you and I love you. Thank you for taking the time to read this."
Billie previously came under fire after a TikTok user posted a compilation video of undated footage featuring the "Your Power" singer seemingly saying the word "ch*nk." In another portion of the clip, the star was heard speaking unintelligibly and in what sounded like a mock Asian accent. The user also included a clip of the "Bad Guy" hitmaker being called out by her brother Finneas for "talking with a blaccent."
The week prior, Billie was slammed after she declared "I love girls" along with behind-the-scenes pictures from her "Lost Cause" music video featuring female stars who are featured in the clip. She was accused of queerbaiting as she never really comes out about being part of the LGBTQ+ community while she's currently dating actor Matthew Tyler Vorce, who recently also apologized for his old racist and homophobic posts.
