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Old videos of Billie Eilish have resurfaced, and the singer is defending her name and character after she can be heard using a racist slur and mocking accents.
The 19-year-old award-winner star posted a statement on her Instagram Story, addressing the situation. “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 wrote.
“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,” she explained. “I am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever mouthed along to that word.”
“This song is the only time I’d ever heard that word as it was never used around me by anyone in my family,” Eilish continued. “Regardless of the ignorance and age at the time, nothing excuses the fact that it was hurtful. And for that, I am sorry.”
The video also showed Eilish talking with an accent used to mock Asian people. “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 said.
“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,” she said.
“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 inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality,” the star said. ”We all need to continue having conversations, listening and learning. I hear you and I love you.”