Billie Eilish slammed Donald Trump during her Nashville concert on Wednesday night, saying “someone who hates women so, so deeply is about to be the president.”
According to fan-captured video, the Grammy-winning singer told the crowd that waking up that morning — after Trump was declared the winner of the U.S. election — she “couldn’t really fathom doing a show on this day.” But, “the longer the day went on, I kind of had this feeling of like, it’s such a privilege that I get to do this with you guys and that we have this in a time like right now.”
She went on to dedicate her 2022 song “TV,” which references the overturning of Roe v. Wade, to the women in the crowd and opened up about her own experience with abuse.
“I want you to know that you’re safe with me and you’re protected here and that you are safe in this room,” she said. “And the song that we’re about to do is … about the abuse that exists in this world upon women and a lot of the experiences that I have gone through and people I know have gone through. To tell you the truth, I’ve never met one single woman who doesn’t have a story of abuse. Not one.”
Eilish continued, “I’ve dealt with some stuff myself and I’ve been taken advantage of. My boundaries were crossed, to say it politely, and now a person who is a … let’s say convicted predator, let’s say that — god, my heart is beating fast — someone who hates women so, so deeply is about to be the president of the United States of America. So, this song is for all the women out there. I love you, I support you.”
Trump was found liable of sexual abuse last year in a civil suit brought by author E. Jean Carroll. Since it was not a criminal trial, he was not technically convicted, but was ordered to pay her $5 million in damages. Throughout his career, over two dozen women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct. He has denied all allegations.
Eilish then played “TV,” stopping about halfway through the song after singing the lyric: “The internet’s gone wild watching movie stars on trial/ While they’re overturning Roe v. Wade.” She stood silent in front of the crowd and then walked off stage, making a powerful statement.
After the results of the election were announced on Wednesday, Eilish posted on her Instagram Story: “It’s a war on women.”
English (US) ·