While accepting WSJ Magazine’s Music Innovator Award on Wednesday (Oct. 29), Billie Eilish boldly urged some of the audience's billionaires to donate their money to help those in need.
“People need empathy and help in our country,” Eilish said during her speech, per Billboard.
“I’d say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things and give it to some people that need it. Love you all, but there’s a few people in here that have a lot more money than me. If you are a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?”
She added, “No hate, but give your money away, shorties.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly in the room for Eilish's speech. According to Forbes, his estimated net worth is $225 billion, making him the fifth-richest man in the world.
Eilish is also putting her money where her mouth is. During the event, Stephen Colbert, who presented the pop star with the award, announced that the singer is donating $11.5 million from her ongoing Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour to support food equity, climate justice, carbon reduction, and combating climate change.
“Billie, on behalf of humans, thank you very much,” Colbert said.
Other celebrities who were honored at the event include Hailey Bieber, Ben Stiller, and Spike Lee.
Eilish’s donation will be allotted to different organizations through her Changemaker Program. In addition to her philanthropic work, the 23-year-old encourages sustainability in other ways, including providing plant-based food options at her concerts, using biodegradable confetti during her shows, making merch from recycled cotton, and urging fans to bring reusable water bottles and take public transport to venues.
Eilish has been on the road in support of her third album, last year’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, since September 2024. The tour kicked off in Canada before heading to the U.S. from October to December 2024. Her trek resumed in February in Australia before hitting Europe, the UK, Japan, and returning to the U.S.