Billie Eilish’s brave callout to world’s wealthiest at WSJ awards wins internet: ‘Give your money away, shorties!’

Billie Eilish inspired many on Wednesday, 30 October, after raising a generous donation amount of $11.5 million at the recent WSJ Innovator Awards night. However, the highlight of the day was her call out to billionaires, including Mark Zuckerberg, who was one of the attendees at the event, reported People.

During her acceptance speech at the show for winning the ‘Music Innovator Award’, Billie spoke about various issues, including animal rights, climate action, and urging the wealthy to donate their money.

Billie Eilish’s acceptance speech at award show wins hearts

The 23-year-old singer attended the show alongside her mother, Maggie Baird. In her speech, the star took a moment to talk about the current situation in the US. According to a Unilad report, she mentioned how the world is stuck in a dark situation, adding that values like empathy and kindness could help in some healing. Pointing to the wealthy attendees in the crowd, she stated that they could use their money to give it to people who actually need it. The No Time to Die crooner 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.”

The speech was delivered in a room full of billionaires, including Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, as reported by BuzzFeed. The other celebrities in attendance included Hailey Bieber, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, George Lucas, and Karlie Kloss, among others.

Social media lauds Billie’s courage

According to an eyewitness at the WSJ award night, Mark Zuckerberg did not join the crowd for Eilish after her speech, reported People. However, the singer has been widely appreciated on social media platforms for her courage.

The BuzzFeed report mentioned how Redditors applauded Billie and appreciated her morals for speaking on the topic. Another user paid their respects to the singer for using the platform to discuss a topic that matters.

Billie also earned praise for her donation, valued at $11.5 million. Stephen Colbert announced during the evening that Eilish donated her earnings from the Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour to fight against climate change and for food equity, as reported by Dazed. Billie’s third album reportedly had an environmentally friendly approach to music. The vinyl for Hit Me Hard and Soft was made from 100% recycled materials.

FAQs

1. What did Billie Eilish say to billionaires?

She urged them to “give your money away” to those who truly need it.

2. Who was in the audience during her speech?

Attendees included Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, and other celebrities.

3. How much did Billie Eilish donate?

She donated $11.5 million from her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour.