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Charli XCX’s ‘Guess’ remix ft Billie Eilish sparks controversy

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Delhi, India
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Billie’s recent collaboration with Charli is hugely popular worldwide. Its sapphic lyrics have drawn backlash, however, and the popstar is facing accusations of predatory behaviour –highlighting the complexities of celebrity sexuality and public perception.

Billie Eilish, the Grammy-award-winning artist who’s best known for her haunting melodies and introspective lyrics, has once again captured public attention with her latest musical offering.

Earlier this month, she collaborated with Charli XCX on a remix of ‘Guess,’ from the British popstar’s album-of-the-summer, BRAT. The track, with its unabashedly queer-focus, has been hugely popular – played over 80 million times since its release – particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

Featuring Billie’s distinctive vocals intertwined with flirtatious statements such as ‘already know what you’ve got goin’ on down there,’ many have celebrated the remix, dubbing it a ‘sapphic anthem.’

This highlights how representation of LGBTQ+ themes in mainstream music has improved and been accepted, signifying a shift in societal attitudes towards queer expression in pop culture.

Despite this largely positive reception however, Billie’s verse has been met with some controversy, sparked by TikTok user @windows199x, who alleges that the lyrics are ‘high-key predatory.’

They say that the singer’s history of ‘queerbaiting (the practice of hinting at, but not conforming to LGBTQ+ representation) for commercial gain’ is why this is being overlooked by the public, arguing that this ‘lost cause’ issue and the fact it isn’t the first time Billie’s objectified women is all part of a strategy to convince her audience she is attracted to them.

This criticism has reignited discussions about celebrity authenticity and whether they should be more careful about what they say in songs.

The debate on social media centres around the boundaries of artistic expression, the double standards that are often applied to female artists exploring their sexuality this way, and the complexities of celebrity sexuality and the expectations surrounding their identity.

Responding to the backlash against Billie, her brother Finneas defended her online, writing: ‘what a take, you little clown. I got to watch the entire internet slam my sister for queer-baiting for an entire year when, in reality, you were all forcing her to label and out herself.’

This illustrates the pressure faced by famous people to disclose and label their sexuality, as well as the problematic nature of the public demanding that they do so to satisfy curiosity or validate their art.

It also raises questions about celebrities’ right to privacy and the potentially harmful implications of speculating on their personal lives.

The ongoing discourse serves as a reminder of the need to foster a more nuanced understanding of these challenges across the industry as a whole.

Contributing Writer Delhi, India

Sahil (they/them) is a remote writer for Thred and an economics undergraduate in India. Their diverse cultural background informs their writing and research on gender minorities, climate disparity, and intersectional social issues. When not delving into complex societal challenges, Sahil grapples with their ever-expanding library of unread books – a collection that grows faster than their ability to tackle it.

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