Grammy Award singer Billie Eilish in an acceptance speech at the WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards that have gone viral, urged billionaires to donate more of their wealth to public causes.
Eilish, 23, received the Music Innovator Award at the event held at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
She referred to current economic and social difficulties and encouraged those with significant financial resources to assist people in need.
“If you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it,” she said.
She added: “There are 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 give your money away, shorties.”
The audience included several high-profile figures, such as Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, George Lucas, Hailey Bieber, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and Karlie Kloss.
According to attendees, Zuckerberg did not join in the applause following Eilish’s comment.
Before introducing Eilish, Stephen Colbert announced that she would donate $11.5 million from her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour proceeds.
The funds will support organisations working on food equity, climate justice, carbon reduction, and wider climate-related programmes.
Mark Zuckerberg is one of the world’s richest individuals, with an estimated net worth of $226–$257 billion in 2025.
Through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Zuckerberg and Chan pledged to give away 99% of their Meta shares over their lifetimes. They have already donated over $5 billion.
George Lucas, with an estimated net worth of about $5.3 billion, has pledged most of his wealth to educational causes through the Lucas Family Foundation, which holds over $1 billion in assets.
Eilish’s remarks gained widespread attention online. While many supported her message, a portion of Taylor Swift’s fans interpreted the “billionaire” comment as criticism of Swift, who became a billionaire in 2023.
They accused Eilish of inconsistency, noting her own estimated net worth of about $50 million. Eilish did not mention Swift, and her remarks at the event were directed at those present.
