Finneas Defends Billie Eilish Against ‘Predatory’ and ‘Queerbaiting’ Claims

One TikTok user has accused Billie Eilish of “highkey predatory” lyrics in her remix collaboration with Charli XCX on the song “Guess.” The user claimed Eilish was reducing girls to objects and only pretending to be interested in them.

Finneas, Eilish’s brother, quickly came to her defense against social media trolls. The criticism erupted after Eilish’s surprising verse on Charli XCX’s “Guess” remix, since Eilish rarely features on other artists’ tracks. The specific line under fire is Eilish saying, “Charli likes boys, but she knows I’d hit it / Charli, call me if you’re with it.”

The TikTok user accused Eilish of “queerbaiting” — a charge Eilish has faced for years — and targeting her collaborator. Finneas responded to these accusations by slamming the user as a “little clown,” emphasizing that it was the public forcing Eilish to label herself.

Charli XCX, seemingly unbothered by the accusations, expressed her excitement and gratitude on Instagram. She responded enthusiastically to Eilish’s verse, showing mutual respect and admiration. Their interaction appeared in a clip from the music video they filmed together.

In December 2023, Eilish acknowledged in a Variety interview, also reported by TMZ, that she had come out in a cover story, joking that she didn’t realize people weren’t aware. Her comments in the Variety piece hinted at her attractions, leading to online speculation about her sexuality and reigniting the “queerbaiting” debate.

At the time, Eilish had posted on her Instagram Stories, saying, “I like boys and girls leave me alone about it please literally who cares,” according to Billboard. She later opened up more directly about her sexuality in her song “Lunch,” telling Rolling Stone in April that she had always been attracted to girls, but the realization cemented only recently.

Despite these revelations, Eilish expressed frustration over being forced to discuss her sexuality. She told Rolling Stone, “I was never planning on talking about my sexuality ever, in a million years. It’s really frustrating to me that it came up.” She felt the internet bullied her into revealing parts of her identity she hadn’t fully explored or wanted public yet.

Eilish’s fans have been interested in her sexuality and body image long before she was legally an adult. Her preference for baggy clothing often led to speculation about her figure. Eilish admitted that part of the reason for her style choice was her insecurities and a desire to keep conversations about her artistry rather than her body.

Although she did not want her sexuality to be public, Eilish has since stated that being more open has helped her embrace and love her body more. However, she still feels it’s unfair how public scrutiny rushed her into disclosure.

Source: TMZ, Billboard, Variety, Rolling Stone