Billie Eilish used her Music Innovator Award acceptance speech at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards to deliver a pointed message to the ultra-wealthy, and back it up with action.
A Direct Call to the Wealthy
Standing before a star-studded audience that included Mark Zuckerberg and other heavy hitters, Eilish urged them to turn their fortunes into impact. “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.
Then she turned on the heat with a cheeky challenge: “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.”
Her tone mixed humor with urgency, and it landed. The line drew laughter and applause; one eyewitness told PEOPLE that Zuckerberg himself did not join in the clapping.
Backing Words With Action
Before Eilish stepped to the mic, The Late Show host Stephen Colbert revealed that she would donate $11.5 million from her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour to causes such as food equity, climate justice and carbon-pollution reduction.
Colbert called it “extraordinary,” and the singer used her platform not only to call others out, but to prove she’s walking her talk.
Who Was in the Room
The WSJ Innovator Awards took place at MoMA in New York. Among those in attendance: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan (who themselves were being honored for philanthropy), Hailey Bieber, Spike Lee, George Lucas and others.
Zuckerberg and Chan were recognized for science philanthropy; the couple has pledged to give away nearly all of their Meta shares during their lifetimes.
Why It Resonates
Eilish, 23, has leaned into activism before, but telling billionaires to justify their wealth on a public stage signals escalating urgency. Her donation is also among the largest from an artist to social-impact causes recently.
