Finneas publicly defended his sister after backlash followed Billie Eilish’s Song of the Year win at the 2026 Grammys. He stood beside her as she accepted the award for “Wildflower”, a track he co wrote and produced from her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft”.
During her acceptance speech, Eilish spoke about inequality while referencing immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration. She addressed the moment carefully before saying, “No one is illegal on stolen land. And yeah, it’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now.
She continued, “I feel really hopeful in this room and I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting and our voices really do matter and the people matter and erm, f**k ICE.” The comments quickly sparked criticism and intense debate online.
As the reaction grew, Finneas responded on social media, appearing to aim his message at influential critics. “Seeing a lot of very powerful old white men outraged about what my 24-year-old sister said during her acceptance speech,” he wrote. “We can literally see your names in the Epstein files.”
His comments arrived amid renewed attention on the release of Epstein related documents, which list numerous high profile individuals. While debate around Eilish’s words continued, critics also focused on claims regarding her Los Angeles home and its historical ties to Indigenous land.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis commented publicly, writing, “Oh, gee, this ‘stolen land’ nonsense again? Maybe she should step up and forfeit her Southern California mansion since it is supposedly on ‘stolen land’,” according to a post shared online.
Senator Mike Lee also weighed in, stating, “Any white person who does a public ‘stolen land’ acknowledgement should immediately give his or her land to native Americans. Otherwise they don’t mean it. Also, I’m pretty sure they don’t mean it.” His remarks added fuel to the criticism.
Amid the discussion, a representative for the Tongva tribe addressed the issue, saying, “As the First People of the greater Los Angeles basin, we do understand that her home is situated in our ancestral land. Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property.
They added, “We do value the instance when Public Figures provide visibility to the true history of this country.” The spokesperson later said, “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.”
The spokesperson also noted collaboration with the Recording Academy, stating they “partnered closely with the Recording Academy to author the official Land Acknowledgment statement shared during Grammy week and at the Premiere Ceremony.” They concluded, “The Recording Academy has been an incredible partner to our tribe, and we look forward to continuing the relationship to ensure the voices of the First People of this land are heard and honoured. Ekwa Shem – We are here!”
