Featured Image Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage for Live Nation
Topics: Music, Billie Eilish, Celebrity, UK News
Lucy Devine
Topics: Music, Billie Eilish, Celebrity, UK News
Billie Eilish made a comment to the crowd during her Ireland gig this week, and it's caused a bit of controversy online.
The pop star has recently finished the UK leg of her Hit Me Hard And Soft tour, which saw her perform for two nights in Dublin.
While talking to the crowds, Billie explained that it was nice to be somewhere 'where everyone looks like you'.
Billie, 23, is from Los Angeles, but seemed to be making the point that she has Irish and Scottish ancestry.
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"Obviously, I am not from here, but it’s really cool to come somewhere and everybody looks exactly like you, and you’re all just as pasty as me," she said.
"I love it. It just makes me feel so seen. Also, a thousand of my relatives are in the crowd right now, I’m pretty sure. I love it here – it’s so beautiful and you are all so beautiful and I see so many familiar faces out there."
However, after videos circulated online, Billie was criticised for her choice of words, with some finding it offensive.
"You can acknowledge that Billie likely meant well, but that doesn’t mean we should downplay the racial implications of what she said. she’s describing whiteness, not Irishness and it’s f**king weird to find comfort and belonging in that," said one person.
And another wrote on X: "Iwl i’m black and i was born in ireland and it really bothered me when billie said everyone here looks like me bc no tf we don’t."
Others defended Billie, however, with many claiming she was just trying to make a connection with fans.
"She has spoken out against racism and bigotry many times throughout her career. She was trying to relate to the crowd, and she probably felt a connection with them due to her family roots. It's not that deep. Put the pitchforks away," one said.
While another added: "What exactly is wrong with what she said? She’s saying that she looks Irish and so do Irish people. Nothing she said was offensive to anyone."
And a third wrote: "It was an unfortunate way of phrasing it, and she’s probably cringing now but she clearly didn’t mean it with racist undertones."
Tyla has reached out to Billie's rep for comment.
In other Billie news, fans were shocked recently when they discovered who her famous mum is.
Billie's fans were left stunned after discovering her mum, Maggie Baird, featured in perhaps the most well-loved sitcom of all time back in 1999.
The episode of Friends, titled 'The One Where Joey Loses His Audience', sees Maggie portraying Casting Director 2, while Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) auditions in front of her.
The scene shows Joey losing out on a role he needed in order to pay for his medical care due to a painful hernia.
The clip has since resurfaced across social media with many fans of both the TV show and the singer in total disbelief at the unexpected crossover.