Billie Eilish is "embarrassed and appalled" over an old video of herself mouthing a racist slur.
Billie Eilish
The 19-year-old singer has insisted she has been "labeled something that [she is] not" after a clip from her early teens showed her listening to Tyler the Creator's 2011 hit 'Fish'.
In a lengthy statement, she wrote on her Instagram Story: "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 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 is that it was hurtful. And for that I am sorry."
The 'Bad Guy' hitmaker also addressed another part of the "edited clip" as she used an accent which some people interpreted as mocking Asian people.
However, she explained: "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."
Billie added that the response "breaks [her] heart" because she wouldn't want people to be hurt by the misinterpretation.
She continued: "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.
"I not only believe in, but have always worked hard to use my platform to fight for inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality.
"We all need to continue having conversations, listening and learning. I hear you and I love you."
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