Billie Eilish Apologized for Mouthing a Racial Slur in an Old Clip

Billie Eilish has issued a lengthy apology after an old clip resurfaced online that shows the singer mouthing a racial slur, saying she’s “appalled and embarrassed.”

As noted by The Guardian, the slur, which has anti-Asian connotations, was included in Tyler, the Creator's song "Fish," off his 2011 studio album Goblin. The clip was shared as part of a compilation video that also includes what many believe is a clip of Billie imitating an “accent” meant to mock Asian people as well as a snippet of what is described as the singer using a “blaccent.” The compilation, which was first shared on TikTok, has since traveled across platforms.

On June 21, Billie issued her official apology via her Instagram stories. According to the singer’s words, fans asked her directly to address the clips. “This is something I WANT to address because I’m being labeled something that I am not,” Billie’s note starts. “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 the members of the Asian community. I am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever mouthed along to that word. 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 is [sic] that it was hurtful. And for that I am sorry."

Billie went on to address the clip many had interpreted as an accent mockery, saying that it was “a silly gibberish made up voice” that she “started doing as a kid.” “[I] have done [it] my whole life talking to my pets, friends, and family,” she wrote. "It is absolute gibberish and just me goofing around, and is in NO way an imitation of anyone or any language, accent, or culture in the SLIGHTEST.”

“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,” the singer finally added.

You can see a screenshot of Billie Eilish's full apology below:

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue