Pop star links billionaire fortunes to deepening global inequality

Billie Eilish has sharply criticised Elon Musk over his vast fortune and public persona, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX chief of hoarding wealth while millions struggle with basic costs. In a wide-ranging interview, the Grammy-winning singer described Musk as a “pathetic coward” for what she sees as using enormous resources to boost his image and online influence instead of tackling real-world problems. She pointed to reports from anti-poverty groups showing how a tiny number of billionaires dramatically increased their net worth during and after the pandemic, even as wages stagnated and public services came under pressure. For younger fans watching housing, healthcare and education slip further out of reach, she argued, billionaire space races and social-media drama feel increasingly out of touch.

Eilish, who has often used her platform to speak about mental health and climate change, framed extreme wealth concentration as not just an economic issue but a moral one. She said it was “insane” that a single person could personally decide how to spend more money than some governments, while ordinary workers fight over modest pay rises. Her comments tap into a wider backlash against tech moguls who cultivate celebrity personas while running companies criticised over labour practices, environmental impacts or online toxicity. Musk’s supporters counter that his firms have created jobs and advanced electric vehicles and space technology, but critics say that does not excuse the scale of his personal fortune or his habit of taunting opponents online.

Culture clash over money, power and fandom

The clash underscores a generational rift over what success and responsibility should look like in an era of spiralling inequality. Many younger listeners grew up admiring tech founders as visionary problem-solvers, only to see some of them pivot into culture-war fights on social media or wield platforms to attack journalists and activists. When pop stars like Eilish call that behaviour out, they bring the debate into fan communities that might otherwise focus only on music and style. Her remarks are likely to fuel fresh arguments on X, TikTok and other platforms about whether celebrities should “stay in their lane” or use fame to challenge economic and political power.

Economists note that wealth taxes, stronger inheritance rules and tougher corporate regulation—not celebrity call-outs—would actually move the needle on inequality. Yet high-profile criticism can still shift public mood and embolden campaigners pushing for policy change. For Musk, the practical impact may be limited, but his image among some younger fans could take another knock at a time when his online brand already divides opinion. Eilish, meanwhile, is gambling that her audience will accept—or even welcome—an artist who mixes chart-topping songs with blunt commentary on who gets to shape the future. As streaming platforms and social networks blur the line between entertainment and politics, such confrontations between artists and billionaires may become a regular feature of pop culture.