Billie Eilish has condemned civil rights violations and ICE-inflicted violence under the Trump administration.
The Bad Guy singer spoke out while receiving the Martin Luther King Jr Beloved Community Award for Environmental Justice.
“It’s very strange to be celebrated for working towards environmental justice at a time where it feels less achievable than ever given the state of our country and the world right now,” Eilish said in her speech at the ceremony in Atlanta, reported by Rolling Stone.
“We’re seeing our neighbours being kidnapped, peaceful protesters being assaulted and murdered, our civil rights being stripped, resources to fight the climate crisis being cut for fossil fuels and animal agriculture destroying our planet, and people’s access to food and healthcare becoming a privilege for the wealthy instead of a new basic human right for all Americans.
“It’s really hard to celebrate that when we no longer feel safe in our own homes or in our streets.”
Eilish closed out on a more hopeful note.
“I am so inspired by all the stories and the other honorees tonight and everyone in this room, and I’m grateful to everyone and for the huge community of people who are taking action centred on Dr King’s message,” she said.
“I just want to thank my mom, both my parents, for raising me the way they did. I wouldn’t be doing any of this without you.”
The last time Eilish was presented with a notable honour, at the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards in October, she similarly used her speech to sound off on bigger issues.
“If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away,” she urged at the time.
It was revealed that day that $11.5 million (£8.6 million) from her latest tour would be donated across multiple organisations.
