Billie Eilish Opens Up About Edited Video of Racial Slur, Says 'Nothing Excuses The Fact That It Was Hurtful'

Billie Eilish has apologised for the recent video of the pop star making rounds on the internet. Over the weekend, an edited clip of a young Billie went viral in which she allegedly can be heard making mocking accents and singing along to a song (Tyler, The Creator's 'Fish' from his 2011 album Goblin) that includes the racial slur.

The singer has been called out for the video and many have also urged to boycott her. Soon after, Eilish posted a statement on her Instagram account in which she clarified about some of the footage and also apologised.

She started the post saying, "I love you guys, and many of you have been asking me to address this. And this is something that I WANT to address because I'm being labeled something that I am not."

"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 and used against 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 that it was hurtful. And for that I am sorry," Eilish added.

Talking about the alleged edited parts of the clip, she said that she is actually speaking a gibberish language that she had made up as a kid. She said, "The other video in that edited clip is me speaking in a silly gibberish made up voice... something I started doing as a kid and have done my whole life when talking to my pets, friends, and family. 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. Anyone who knows me has seen me goofing around with voices my whole life."

Apologising for causing pain to any of her fans she added, "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 statement continued, "I not only believe in, but have always worked hard to use my platform to fight for inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality."

She ended the post by saying, "We all need to continue having conversations, listening and learning. I hear you and I love you. Thank you for taking the time to read this."

Eilish recently broke records by becoming the youngest artist to win more than one Record of the Year Grammy award. She also made headlines for her photoshoot with Rolling Stone and appearing on the cover. Her second album, Happier Than Ever is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.