Amid Backlash from Netizens, Billie Eilish Defends Her "Wasteful Habit" Remark
Billie Eilish may have had good intentions when she highlighted "overconsumption" within the music industry but her words were misconstrued by people online. The singer/songwriter shared her stance on the non-sustainable habits of artists who are ignorant of their carbon emissions. And now, she's released a clarification that her statement wasn't targeting any artist.
During her interview with Billboard, the Oscar-winner discussed the importance of sustainable practices in the music industry. Eilish alongside her mom, Support + Feed founder Maggie Baird, said, "We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it's very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging which ups the sales and ups the numbers and gets them more money."
She condemned, "I can't even express to you how wasteful it is," adding, "It's some of the biggest artists in the world making f–king 40 different vinyl packages. It's so wasteful, and it's irritating to me and it’s all your favorite artists doing that sh-t."
Soon after the interview was published, netizens quickly read between the lines and assumed she was targeting one particular artist, Taylor Swift. The misconception led to the singer issuing a clarification that her words weren't directed to any specific artist, not even Swift for that matter.
She defended herself on Instagram Stories, "It would be so awesome if people would stop putting words into my mouth and actually read what I said in that Billboard article," setting the record straight, "I wasn't singling anyone out, these are industry-wide systemic issues," per Rolling Stone.
She further explained herself, "When it comes to variants, so many artists release them — including ME! Which I clearly state in the article. The climate crisis is now and it's about all of us being part of the problem and trying to do better. Sheesh."
Although Eilish clarified she wasn't targeting Swift or any other artist, the Bad Blood singer has previously been under scrutiny for her increased carbon footprint. Apart from mass-producing vinyl, the 33-year-old often gains criticism for her jet-setting habits, the latest being a 12-hour, 5,000-mile flight from Tokyo, Japan to Las Vegas, Nevada, to watch her boyfriend Travis Kelce win the Super Bowl, per BBC.
It has been reported that Swift allegedly produced 138 tons of CO2 emissions in three months visiting Kelce and Leah Thomas, author of The Intersectional Environmentalist, told BBC Travel, "Swift's carbon emissions are extreme and are polluting the atmosphere. Carbon emissions are one of the leading causes of the climate crisis, as carbon in the atmosphere warms the planet, which contributes to extreme weather events."
Talent agent Emma Banks reasoned, "The more shows you have, the more environmental impact it has. We need to think more about how we can actually not create the problem in the first place." Aside from Swift, other A-list music artists like Drake, Blake Shelton, Jay Z, and Travis Scott have been criticized for their carbon footprint.
