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Billie Eilish SLAMMED for 'diminishing' Depp-Heard trial in lyrics of new song 'TV'

'The internet's gone wild watching movie stars on trial, while they're overturning Roe v Wade,' Eilish sang at Manchester's AO Arena

Billie Eilish has made a reference to the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard defamation trial in her latest unreleased song. Currently on a UK tour for her second album, the 20-year-old debuted the new song titled 'TV' while performing at Manchester's AO Arena on Tuesday, June 7.

The yet-to-be-released track's lyrics reference the controversial legal battle between Depp and Heard that concluded last week and the Roe v Wade verdict. "The internet's gone wild watching movie stars on trial, while they're overturning Roe v. Wade," she sang with emotion while sitting on a stool next to her brother, singer Finneas, who played the guitar.

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The pop star told the crowd, "We haven't played a new song live before it's out since 2017 or 2018. This is one we just wrote, and we just wanted to play for you." The high-profile defamation case between Depp and Heard lasted weeks, and the verdict announced on June 1 ruled in Depp's favor. Meanwhile, Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court that ruled that the US Constitution protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without government restriction.

On May 2, 2022, Politico obtained a leaked initial draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito indicating that the Supreme Court is prepared to overturn Roe and Casey in a pending final decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, expected to be issued by June 2022. Eilish's reference meant to question the lack of attention to Roe v Wade because everyone on the Internet was so involved in the Depp-Heard trial.

Eilish's lyrics led to some criticism on Twitter. One user wrote, "Roe vs Wade = Women's right to choose what happens to her body. Great! Depp vs Heard = Men's right to get justice after being falsely accused of domestic violence. Great! BOTH are important for equality. Both need to be fought for. Both should not be dismissed or diminished." Another asked, "I mean it's movie stars but someone was abused, are they less of humans cuz they are known??"

A third wrote, "Good bc amber whines about women’s rights being set back and roe v wade is ACTUALLY what can set women's rights back." Someone asked, "What even is a Billie Eilish? Is it from the old Latin for 'talentless one'?" Another added, "So if we favor Roe vs. Wade we should ignore Johnny Depp? How about Billie Eilish?"

"Oh good, I was worried she wouldn't comment. Now that she has I can go back to ignoring her completely," one user said, while another added, "Ignore Billy Eilish. She's been taken in the same way as all the young popstars. Her words are not her own, she has no actual beliefs or opinions. She's basically the Alt Greta Thornberg. She doesn't know what she's saying, just parroting what she's told to parrot. She's a pawn." A third asked, "Is it called 'They got attention now I want some too'?"