Billie Eilish is apologizing after past videos of her seemingly mocking Asian and Black accent drew criticism online.
The American music star, in the video shared on TikTok, was seen using or mouthing a racial slur and making fun of non-English speakers. One video shows Eilish singing along to Tyler the Creator’s song, “Fish,” which uses the anti-Asian slur “ch***.” TikTokers claim the other video shows Eilish making fun of accents.
The 19-year-old however issued a statement via her Instagram Stories on Monday June 21, saying that she was “appalled and embarrassed” for mouthing along to an anti-Asian slur from Tyler the Creator’s 2011 song “Fish.”
Eilish also revealed that she was 13 or 14 at that time. She wrote;
“I love you guys, and many of you have been asking me to address this. And this is something that I WANT to address because I’m being labeled something that I am not.
“This song was the only time i’d ever heard that word as 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.”
Commenting on the second clip, the singer said it in no way mocked Asian accents. According to her, it was simply a language she made up — using it with pets, friends and family.
She wrote “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.” She does regret that people hearing her “gibberish” are caused pain.
Last week, Eilish’s boyfriend Matthew Tyler Vorst, also apologized for racist and homophobic language in past social media posts.
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