Billie Eilish Faces Mounting Pressure Over Property Following Explosive Grammys Speech
Billie Eilish appeared burdened by the weight of recent controversy as she stepped out for the first time since delivering her incendiary anti-ICE rant at the Grammy Awards. The 24-year-old singer, spotted taking her dog for a walk in Los Angeles on Wednesday, looked visibly strained while dressed in her signature eclectic style, her guarded expression suggesting the ongoing drama continues to hang heavily over her.
Grammys Stage Becomes Platform for Political Protest
The firestorm erupted on Sunday when Eilish accepted the Song of the Year award for Wildflower alongside her brother Finneas. Using her moment on the global stage, she declared to the audience, 'Nobody is illegal on stolen land... F*** ICE,' referencing the colonization of the Americas and sparking immediate backlash across social media platforms.
Eilish was not alone in her protest. She joined a growing list of celebrities at the awards ceremony who voiced opposition to U.S. immigration enforcement policies. From Justin and Hailey Bieber to Kehlani and Joni Mitchell, stars prominently displayed tiny 'ICE OUT' pins on the red carpet. Bad Bunny also seized his acceptance speech for Best Música Urbana Album to state, 'Before I say, "Thank God," I'm going to say, "ICE out." We're not savage. We're not animals. We're not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.'
However, Eilish's comments proved particularly inflammatory. 'As grateful as I feel, I honestly don't feel like I need to say anything but that no one is illegal on stolen land,' she asserted during her brief but fiery address. 'It's just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I just feel really hopeful in this room, and I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter.'
Hypocrisy Claims Emerge Over Los Angeles Property
Following her speech, fans and commentators quickly highlighted what they perceived as glaring hypocrisy. Political commentator Eric Daugherty and others uncovered that Eilish's lavish $3 million Los Angeles mansion sits on land historically belonging to the Tongva tribe, the Indigenous people of the greater LA Basin.
Daugherty remarked on social media platform X, 'She could also graciously host illegal aliens in her mansion. After all, she has the moral high ground. Put up or shut the F up.' His comments echoed growing calls for the singer to either return the property to the tribe or at least utilise the spacious home to accommodate migrants she has publicly championed.
When contacted by media outlets, a spokesperson for the Tongva tribe confirmed that Eilish's home indeed occupies their ancestral land. 'We appreciate the opportunity to provide clarity regarding the recent comments made by Billie Eilish. As the First People of the greater Los Angeles basin, we do understand that her home is situated in our ancestral land,' they stated.
The spokesperson added that while Eilish has not contacted the tribe directly regarding her property, they have reached out to her team 'to express our appreciation for her comments.' They emphasised, 'It is our hope that in future discussions, the tribe can explicitly be referenced to ensure the public understands that the greater Los Angeles basin remains Gabrieleno Tongva territory.'
Social Media Reacts to Perceived Contradiction
The revelation sparked widespread discussion online, with many users criticising what they viewed as Hollywood elitism. One social media user commented, 'It's time for all these hypocritical Hollywood elites to do what they're telling average American citizens to do. If they can preach it, they need to live by their words!'
Another added, 'They're always contradicting themselves in Hollywood,' while a third simply stated, 'Oh, the hypocrisy.' The tribe noted their established relationship with the Recording Academy, having partnered to author the official Land Acknowledgment statement shared during Grammy week.
The spokesperson concluded, 'The Recording Academy has been an incredible partner to our tribe, and we look forward to continuing the relationship to ensure the voices of the First People of this land are heard and honored. Ekwa Shem- We are here!'
Previous Controversies and Broader Protest Movement
This is not the first time Eilish's property has been associated with drama. In 2023, the singer obtained a restraining order against a man she accused of stalking her and threatening her family and friends. The court ordered Shawn Christopher McIntyre to maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards from Eilish, her family, and her friend Zoe Donahoe, and to refrain from contacting her via social media.
Eilish's Grammys protest echoed sentiments expressed earlier in the evening by fellow artist Kehlani, who scored her first-ever wins with back-to-back honors. After delivering standard thank yous, Kehlani turned her attention to immigration policies, stating, 'What I wanna make sure that I say is that everybody is so powerful in this room... And together, we're stronger in numbers to speak against all the injustice going on in the world right now.'
She added, 'So instead of letting it be just a couple of you here and there, I hope everybody's inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what's going on.' Before leaving the stage, she quickly concluded, 'I'mma leave this and say, f*** ICE!'
As the controversy continues to unfold, all eyes remain on Eilish and whether she will address the growing calls regarding her Los Angeles property. The Daily Mail has contacted Eilish's team for further comment on the matter.
