Billie Eilish Calls Out Billionaires: “Give Your Money Away, Shorties”

Billie Eilish may have rubbed some billionaires the wrong way this week after telling them she doesn’t think they should exist.

While accepting her Music Innovator Award at the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards in New York this week, Eilish called for those in the audience, which included Mark Zuckerberg, to donate their money in the name of greater good.

“We’re in a time right now when the world is really, really bad and really dark. People need empathy and help more than, kind of, ever, especially in our country. If you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it,” the 23-year-old said.

“Love you all, but there’s a few people in here that have a lot more money than me. If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties.”

Although the line was met with laughter an applause, one eyewitness told PEOPLE that Zuckerberg- who was there with his wife Priscilla Chan, picking up an award for her work in science philanthropy- did not join in. Clearly he and Eilish have different senses of humour.

As funny as it is to dunk on a literal billionaire, it is worth noting Zuckerberg and Chan both pledged in 2015 to give away 99 per cent of their Meta shares to philanthropy, and have currently donated more than $7B.

Putting her money where her mouth is

Just before she got up to accept the award from him, presenter Stephen Colbert announced that Eilish would be donating $11.5 million of proceeds from her current Hit Me Hard and Soft tour to organisations dedicated to food equity, climate justice, reducing carbon pollution, and combatting the climate crisis.

“Billie, on behalf of humans everywhere, thank you,” Colbert said.

With an estimated net worth of $50 million, Eilish has repeatedly used her voice politically, endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, and calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.

She’s also passionate about sustainability, saying in an interview with WSJ Magazine, released the day she accepted her award, that she was particularly irritated with the fashion industry.

“You can literally make all the same shit with sustainable materials, and people just aren’t doing it,” she said.

“The main thing that I’ve learned in working with so many companies and making my own merch and my perfume is that everyone can actually do it. It’s just that mostly they don’t.”