Finneas defends Billie Eilish's Grammy speech after political backlash

After Eilish won Song of the Year, she used her speech to say 'No one is illegal on stolen land,' and 'f**k ICE'

Finneas O’Connell has publicly defended his sister and collaborator Billie Eilish following criticism of her acceptance speech at the 2026 Grammy Awards, responding both to online backlash and to a USA Today opinion piece that questioned celebrity political commentary.

After Eilish won Song of the Year for “Wildflower”, she used her speech to criticise US immigration enforcement, stating, “No one is illegal on stolen land,” and concluding with, “Our voices really do matter, and the people matter, and f**k ICE.” Finneas stood beside her on stage during the speech.

In a post shared on Instagram Threads, Finneas addressed critics directly, writing, “Seeing a lot of very powerful old white men outraged about what my 24-year-old sister said during her acceptance speech. We can literally see your names in the Epstein files.”

Eilish’s remarks were part of a wider moment at the ceremony in which several artists spoke about social and political issues. Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny also drew attention for his speech after winning Best Música Urbana Album, saying, “ICE out,” and urging audiences to respond to injustice with love rather than hate.

The following day, USA Today published an opinion article titled “PSA to celebs: Stick to performing, stay away from politics” by Ingrid Jacques. The piece criticised both Eilish and Bad Bunny, arguing that musicians are famous for their talent rather than their political views and suggesting such speeches alienate audiences. Responding to Eilish’s comment that voices matter, Jacques wrote, “Maybe not as much as she thinks.”

Photo: Threads

Finneas later responded directly to the article in another Threads post, stating, “You just can’t do both. You can’t say it doesn’t matter what musicians or celebrities say or think but then talk about it for days. You’re out here making it matter. I’ll keep speaking up especially if it keeps bothering you.”

The exchange has fuelled renewed debate about the role of artists in political discourse, particularly when major award platforms are involved. While critics argue for separation between entertainment and activism, Eilish and Finneas have made clear they intend to continue using their visibility to speak on issues they believe affect real people.