Billie Eilish mocked for hosting brother Finneas O’Connell’s wedding on ‘stolen land’ after woke Grammys outburst
Billie Eilish faced flak from some users on social media after presiding over the Saturday wedding of her brother Finneas O’Connell in Montecito, California.
The nuptials took place at the San Ysidro Ranch, which is located on land where Native Americans initially lived.
O’Connell, 29, and Claudia Sulewski, 30, exchanged vows at a lavish ceremony attended by celebs including Justin and Hailey Bieber, Jason Sudeikis, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard.
Eilish, 24, was at the center of criticism after she said in an anti-ICE statement at the Grammys in February that ‘no one is illegal on stolen land.’
A number of users took to X to criticize Eilish over a purported double standard, as the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians have said that Montecito is among the area of 7,000 square miles once encompassed in its territory.
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Eilish and Chumash officials for further comment on the story.
Billie Eilish, 24, faced flak from some users on social media after presiding over the wedding of her brother Finneas O’Connell in Montecito, California. Pictured at the Grammys in February
The nuptials took place on Saturday at the San Ysidro Ranch, which is located on land where Native Americans once lived
In response to a story about the wedding, one user wrote, ‘Hypocrisy much? She lectures everyone about “stolen land” then hosts a lavish wedding ON that exact same land! Words ≠ actions!’
Another commenter said in the same vein, ‘Oh did they have it in… AMERICA?’
Others pointed out what they perceived to be other inconsistencies in Eilish’s ideologies in reaction to the lavish nuptials.
‘Same girl that said billionaires shouldn’t even exist,’ a user said, adding that the musical artist is ‘pushing pretty close to having a quarter of a billion dollars.’
Said one user, ‘Of all the tone deaf hypocrites in Hollywood [Eilish] might be the worst. Watch this “anti-capitalist” sell more sweatshop junk to her fans tomorrow too.’
A commenter suggested that Eilish ‘should publicly apologize to the native Americans and give a land acknowledgment.’
One user described Eilish as ‘another cosplay struggle artist who wants to set rules for others and yet benefit, on the backend of the things she “[protests]” against.
‘Nobody should take these people seriously or seek their advice or opinion, they don’t have the qualifications or moral fiber to be honest.’
A number of social media users slammed the Grammy-winning artist on X
Some users slammed Eilish for what they perceived to be a double standard
At February’s Grammys, Eilish said, ‘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. It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I feel really hopeful in this room.’
Eilish in her speech encouraged viewers to ‘keep fighting and speaking up and protesting.’
The music star’s statement came weeks after conflicts in Minneapolis between immigration officers and protesters resulted in two fatal shootings.
Alex Pretti was shot on January 24, while Renee Good was shot on January 7, causing massive pushback against ICE and the Trump administration.
The Birds of a Feather vocalist ended her speech in saying, ‘Our voices really do matter and the people matter – f*** ICE.’
In the wake of her speech, social media users pointed out that the $3 million Los Angeles mansion Eilish owns is situated on land that belongs to the Tongva tribe, the Indigenous people of the greater Los Angeles Basin.
A spokesperson for the Tongva tribe subsequently told The Daily Mail, ‘We appreciate the opportunity to provide clarity regarding the recent comments made by Billie Eilish.’
The singer said at the Grammy Awards in LA this past February, ‘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’
Should celebrities be held accountable for hosting lavish events on land with contested histories?
‘As the First People of the greater Los Angeles Basin, we do understand that her home is situated in our ancestral land,’ said the spokesperson.
‘Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property, we do value the instance when Public Figures provide visibility to the true history of this country.’
The spokesperson said efforts have been made to reach out to the singer ‘to express our appreciation for her comments.’
‘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.’