A comment Billie Eilish made about her heritage has divided the internet, with some claiming the pop star should ‘immediately’ apologize to fans.
The 23-year-old singer recently wrapped the UK and European leg of her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour, concluding the run with a two-night residency at Dublin’s 3Arena.
Amid Saturday’s (July 26) show in Ireland, Eilish remarked how seeing a room full of people who looked ‘exactly like [her]’ was ‘amazing’.
“As you guys know I’m Irish. Obviously, I am not from here but it’s really cool to come somewhere and everyone looks exactly like you,” she said (as per NME). “You’re all just as pasty as me, I love it.”
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She added that seeing similarities in the crowd’s features was ‘so amazing’ and that it made her ‘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.”
Eilish’s so-called 'crazy' comment has sparked some criticism, however, with some claiming the ‘What Was I Made For?’ singer should issue an apologetic note to fans as soon as possible.
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One person wrote: “This is why #represententationmatters. Billie has made it to the Oscars, Grammys, etc., but has never been surrounded by people that look like her,” while a second X user said she should 'apologize immediately'.
“What a crazy thing to say. I don’t think she meant it how I took it BTW.” someone else typed.
Fans of the ‘Bad Guy’ hitmaker have also come out in droves to defend her comments, with one Reddit user claiming: “The first thing I thought of, was the fact she's one of the few pop stars who doesn't get tans.
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"Most stars get tanned regularly so she must feel like the odd one out in LA.”
“She’s joking about being pasty and pale,” echoed someone else.
Another user had the final word: “Not everything is offensive. I would think most people in Ireland do have similar features as Billie - who is, in fact, white and pale.
“This seems like a tongue in cheek comment and nothing beyond that. Why are people twisting it to be something so offensive?”
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When she was 16, Eilish confirmed her Scottish and Irish heritage in an interview with Hot Press.
“I can’t tan AT ALL. For years, nobody had ‘Eilish’ even in their vocabulary,” she explained.
“Literally, the other day somebody stopped me in the street to take a picture, and he said that his girlfriend’s first name was ‘Eilish’.
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“I was like ‘Oh my God’. I’m excited to go to Ireland and not be the only one. I like being unique and everything, but I would also like to be somewhere people can pronounce my name correctly,” she said in the 2018 chat.
The two-time Academy Award winner is in the midst of her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour and is set to take up residence at Miami’s Kaseya Centre this October (9, 11 and 12).
On October 13, Eilish will head to the Ka Center in Orlando before taking over Raleigh for two nights (October 16 and 17).
The second North American leg of the Hit Me Hard and Soft tour will conclude with two shows at San Francisco’s Chase Centre on November 22 and 23.
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UNILAD has contacted representatives of Billie Eilish for further comment.
Topics: Billie Eilish, Celebrity, Social Media, Music, Twitter, Reddit
Ella Scott