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Billie Eilish apologizes for mouthing racial slur in old video

Billie Eilish said she's "appalled and embarrassed" by a video that shows her mouthing an anti-Asian slur five years ago. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
1 of 5 | Billie Eilish said she's "appalled and embarrassed" by a video that shows her mouthing an anti-Asian slur five years ago. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

June 22 (UPI) -- Billie Eilish says she's "appalled and embarrassed" by an old video that shows her mouthing a racial slur.

The 19-year-old singer-songwriter apologized Monday on Instagram Stories after a video showed her mouthing an anti-Asian slur while singing along to Tyler, the Creator's song "Fish."

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The edited compilation video, which circulated on social media this month, shows Eilish mouthing the slur in footage from 2016.

"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," Eilish wrote Monday.

"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 used against members of the asian community. i am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that i ever mouthed along to that word," she 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," she added.

Billie Eilish said she's "appalled and embarrassed" by a video that shows her mouthing an anti-Asian slur. Photo by billieeilish/Instagram Stories
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Eilish also addressed footage from the video that shows her using an accent that many interpreted as mocking Asian people.

"the other video in that edited clip if 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," the star said.

Eilish said she will continue use her platform to promote kindness and equality.

Eilish will release her second studio album, Happier Than Ever, in July. She is scheduled to promote the album on a new world tour that begins in New Orleans in February 2022.

Eilish is set to perform at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in September, along with Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Maroon 5 and other artists.

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