LDT “🎤 Billie Eilish Challenges Billionaires at WSJ Innovator Awards — “Give Your Money Away, Shorties””

At the 2025 WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards in New York City, Billie Eilish used her acceptance speech for the Music Innovator Award to make a powerful statement about wealth, empathy, and social responsibility — with several billionaires, including Mark Zuckerberg, sitting in the audience.

Speaking at the Museum of Modern Art, Eilish said the world is in a “really bad and really dark” place and urged those with extreme wealth to do more to help others.

“If you have money, it would be great to use it for good things — maybe give it to some people who need it,” she said. “Love you all, but there are a few people in here that have a lot more money than me.”

She continued with a message that quickly went viral online:

“If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah — give your money away, shorties.”

The audience reaction was mixed — some cheered, while others sat quietly. Observers noted that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who was in attendance, remained stone-faced during her remarks.

Eilish backed up her words with real action: during the event, host Stephen Colbert announced that she had donated $11.5 million from her Hit Me Hard and Soft world tour earnings to support initiatives addressing food equity, climate justice, and carbon reduction.

The star-studded evening also honored figures like Hailey Bieber, George Lucas & Mellody Hobson, and Ben Stiller, celebrating innovation across music, design, beauty, and entertainment.

Eilish, long known for using her platform to speak on environmental and humanitarian issues, closed her remarks with a reminder of what truly matters: compassion over accumulation. 🌍💚