Billie Eilish Urges Billionaires to Donate Wealth at Event Including Zuckerberg

At the 2025 Wall Street Journal Magazine Innovator Awards held at New York's Museum of Modern Art, Billie Eilish used her acceptance speech for the Music Innovator Award to challenge billionaires in attendance, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to use their wealth for good. Eilish urged, "If you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it," and questioned, "If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?" Her remarks elicited laughter and applause from much of the audience, though Zuckerberg reportedly did not clap in response. Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan, was also honored for philanthropic work through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which the couple founded and pledged to donate 99% of their Meta shares. Billionaires like filmmaker George Lucas, who has pledged to give away at least half his wealth, were also present, underscoring ongoing debates about economic inequality and philanthropy. Meanwhile, Eilish herself pledged $11.5 million from her recent tour to causes including food equity and climate justice, exemplifying her call for wealth redistribution.