Billie Eilish Apologizes to Fans After Video Surfaces of Her Mouthing Along to Racial Slur

Billie Eilish is addressing fans directly after an edited compilation video surfaced of her appearing to say an offensive term used in Tyler the Creator‘s 2011 song, “Fish.” The clip is gaining traction on social media, which prompted Eilish to give her side of the story in an Instagram Story post.

“I love you guys, and many of you have been asking me to address this. And this is something I WANT to address because I’m being labeled something that I am not,” Eilish begins in the post. “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. I am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever mouthed along to that word.” 

The “Bad Guy” singer continues to explain she was unaware of the word’s meaning and never meant to offend anyone within the Asian community. “This song is the only time I’d ever heard that word as it was never used around me by anyone in my family,” she continued. “Regardless of the ignorance and age at the time, nothing excuses the fact that it was hurtful. And for that I am sorry.”

She then responded to accusations she was mocking foreign accents in the video edit. “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,” Eilish added. “It is absolutely gibberish and just me goofing around and is in NO way imitation of anyone or any language, accent, or culture in the SLIGHTEST. Anyone who knows me has seen me goofing around with voices my whole life.”

Billie Eilish ended her apology with, “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. I not only believe in, but have always worked hard to use my platform 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.”