LONDON —
Billie Eilish has apologized after a
video surfaced appearing to show the American singer mouthing a racial slur and
putting on accents.
اضافة اعلان
In a statement posted on Instagram, the multiple Grammy
Award winner said she was "appalled and embarrassed" by the edit,
which she said was from when she was 13 or 14 years old and in which she can be
seen mouthing the slur.
"I am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever
mouthed along to that word," Eilish, now 19, said.
"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 that it was hurtful.
And for that I am sorry."
A compilation video shared on
TikTok this month also showed
another clip which Eilish said was her speaking in a "silly gibberish made
up voice", something she said she had done since childhood when talking to
"pets, friends, and family".
"It ... is in no way an imitation of anyone or any
language, accent, or culture in the slightest," she said.
"Anyone who knows me has seen me goofing around with
voices my whole life. Regardless of how it was interpreted I did not mean for any
of my actions to have caused hurt to others."
Following a spate of attacks on Asian Americans since the
start of the
COVID-19 pandemic, US President Joe Biden last month signed into
law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.
"I'm being labelled something that I am not,"
Eilish said, adding that she was addressing the video clip after fans had asked
her to respond.
"I ... have always worked hard to use my platform to
fight for inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality."
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