Billie Eilish Denies Taylor Swift Was Target of Vinyl Comments

Billie Eilish has clarified that she was not singling out any artists when she spoke out about wasteful vinyl packaging in a recent interview.

"Some of the biggest artists in the world [are] making [expletive] 40 different vinyl packages that have a different unique thing just to get you to keep buying more," Eilish told Billboard last week. "It’s so wasteful."

Many speculated that the comments were directed at Taylor Swift, who dominates the vinyl sales charts. As the Independent noted, one in every 15 vinyl sales in the U.S. was a Swift record last year.

Eilish dismissed the speculation in a statement shared on her Instagram Stories.

"Okay so it would be so awesome if people would stop putting words into my mouth and actually read what I said in that Billboard article," she wrote. 

"I wasn’t singling anyone out, these are industry-wide systemic issues. & when it comes to variants, so many artists release them, including ME! Which I clearly state in the article," Eilish continued. 

"The climate crisis is now and it’s about all of us being part of the problem and trying to do better sheesh."

In her interview with Billboard, Eilish stated, "It’s so wasteful, and it’s irritating to me that we’re still at a point where you care that much about your numbers and you care that much about making money — and it’s all your favorite artists doing that [expletive]."

Eilish acknowledged her past use of vinyl variants but has since prioritized eco-friendly practices. For her "Happier Than Ever" album, she opted for 100% recycled black vinyl, utilized recycled scraps for colored variants, and chose shrink-wrap made from sugarcane for each record.

During the same interview with Billboard, Eilish expressed her pride in using her influence to persuade the fashion house Oscar de la Renta to discontinue their utilization of animal fur.

"The one that was seen by the most people was getting Oscar de la Renta to stop using fur when they made me a dress for the Met [Gala]," she said.

"That was really important to me. It’s tough as a person who loves fashion. I’ve tried to be a big advocate of no animal products in clothing and it’s hard. People really like classic things. I get it, I’m one of them. But what’s more important: things being original or our kids being able to live on the planet and them having kids?"

• Billie Eilish: Being a Woman 'Just a War, Forever'
• Billie Eilish Claims She Was Outed on Red Carpet