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American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish apologized on Tuesday, June 22 after videos of her mouthing a racial slur resurfaced online.
The 19-year-old Grammy-winning artist said that she’s “appalled and embarrassed” over the clips taken when she was in her early teens. In an edited compilation that’s gone viral on Tiktok, Billie appeared to mouth an anti-Asian slur featured in Tyler the Creator’s song “Fish” as she sang along.
“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 wrote on her Instagram stories.
She added that it was the only time she’s heard about the word and that “it was never used around me by anyone in my family.”
“Regardless of my ignorance and age at the time, nothing excuses the fact that it was hurtful and for that I am sorry.”
Billie also addressed another clip of her appearing to mock Asian accents, saying, “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 singer added, “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 now in a way that might cause pain to people hearing it.”
She asserted in her statement that she has used her platform as an artist to “fight for inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality.” “We all need to continue having conversations, listening and learning. I hear you and I love you,” she said.
Billie is known for her hits “Bad Guy,” “Ocean Eyes,” “Copycat,” and “Lovely.” In 2019, she was named Billboard’s Woman of the Year.
She is also set to release her latest album, Happier than Ever, on July 30. – with reports from Paolo Alejandrino/Rappler.com
Paolo Alejandrino is a Rappler intern.
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