Fans and critics alike were shocked by remarks made by Billie Eilish on the extensive wealth of billionaires today. photo by Getty Images
Billie Eilish calls out billionaires at the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards show with multiple in attendance.
Singer, songwriter, and pop sensation Billie Eilish is not only known for her depressing ballads or groundbreaking beats, but also her activism. Ever since her first charting song “Ocean Eyes” was released when Eilish was only thirteen years old, she has been an advocate for human rights and the environment. The artist often stands out among fellow industry professionals because of her work to ensure that all of her concerts, merch, and records are made sustainably and vegan. While these efforts have cost Eilish some money on the production side, she is still estimated to be worth around 53 million dollars as of this year.
In late October, Eilish attended the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) awards show. The WSJ Innovator Awards have been around since 2011, and this year several notable guests were in attendance. Among the crowd was Priscilla Chan and her husband Mark Zuckerberg. In what appeared to be a targeted speech, the singer called out billionaires, saying “If you are a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?” Her remarks sparked instant controversy in the crowd and press personnel, some cheering and some seemed outright shocked.
Eilish has used her platform in the past to promote and endorse her political views in the past. In the 2020 election, she spoke harshly of Donald J. Trump, and in 2024 stood by her brother Finneas while he endorsed Kamala Harris for president. She has encouraged her supporters to vote and to take part in political and social causes many times. Her comments come at no surprise given her previous statements, however, the circumstances of her speech have raised many eyebrows.
For one thing, the time and location of the speech felt to some like a targeted attack. Zuckerberg himself was in attendance at the event as a plus one to his wife who was nominated for an award at the show. Chan is a philanthropist and singer, and was to be recognized for her accomplishments in said fields. Critics of Eilish have pointed out that Zuckerberg was simply there supporting his wife and by calling him out, the young artist stole the attention away from the nominee. However, supporters of the statement applaud Eilish for her bravery in the situation to bring public attention to what they consider a growing concern in the American economy.
Zuckerberg himself is worth 2.7 billion dollars and is the fifth richest person in the world. In recent years, the wealth inequality in the United States has been highlighted. The combined wealth of just the top twelve wealthiest people in the U.S. alone has now skyrocketed up to over two trillion dollars. This means that out of the roughly 350 million people in the country, just twelve of them carry enough money to end world hunger seven and a half times over according to globalgiving.org. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone in America is well off; in fact, the top 1% of people in the country carries more than 30% of the nation’s wealth according to inequality.org.
These shocking statistics have outraged many, including Eilish herself. She stated in her speech, “We’re in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark, and people need empathy and help more than ever, especially in our country. I’d say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things – maybe give it to some people who need it.” Immediately following her speech, the 23 year old performer donated $11.5 million of her own money to The Changemaker Project which pledges to help with the climate and food crisis. This donation makes up 22% of the star’s net worth.
Billionaires still make a difference in society though, Zuckerberg has pledged to donate his net worth to the work of Chan which is technically considered a charity. A pledge cofounded by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet encourages billionaires to donate around half of their wealth to those in need; however, most have not met these goals. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, for example, has contributed around 1.6% of his net worth, or around four billion dollars.
Despite facing backlash for her remarks at the event, Eilish still wasn’t through. A few days later, she shared an instagram story detailing the specific causes that Elon Musk could spend his money on. These included world hunger, helping rebuild Gaza, and many more. She also notably called him a coward along with other expletives. Naturally, the multi-billionaire clapped back at Eilish for these remarks, tweeting “She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.”
However, Eilish does not seem fazed by these remarks. She maintains that those who have enough to share should give to those who don’t, and she builds her business strategies around these beliefs. “Love you all, but there’s a few people in her who have a lot more money than me.” The pop star and activist has used a direct approach to call attention to these wealthy individuals and to put them under enough pressure to use their money for good. She has also led by example and given multiple suggestions for suitable places for these individuals to spend their money directly.
In a day and age where those who hold the most power also hold the most money, sources are praising Eilish for her bravery speaking out against economic inequality. While some might argue that it is up to the individual to spend their money where they wish, the inspiring artist continues to encourage others to make what she considers to be the right financial contributions to the world so that no one is impoverished or hungry. A young girl who started as a bedroom pop star has grown into a world renowned millionaire who uses both her voice and wealth for good.
