Why Some Billie Eilish Fans Are Upset About the Singer’s Halloween Costume
Billie Eilish seemingly went Instagram official with her boyfriend Jesse Rutherford by sharing their couple’s Halloween costume. Here’s why some fans were upset by the “Your Power” singer’s outfit choice.
Billie Eilish wore a baby Halloween costume while her boyfriend Jesse Rutherford dressed as an old man
20-year-old singer Billie Eilish and her 31-year-old boyfriend, Jesse Rutherford, seemingly responded to backlash about their age difference by dressing as a baby and an old man for Halloween.
Eilish shared a photo of their costumes in an Instagram post on Nov. 1, captioning the image, “life is craaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy [clown emoji] happy halloween [pumpkin emoji, smiling face with hearts emoji].” Eilish wore a bib, a bonnet, and dramatic eye makeup, while Rutherford wore a bald cap, a gray mustache, and suspenders.
Rutherford is the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Neighbourhood, best known for their 2012 hit song “Sweater Weather.” He and Eilish sparked dating rumors in mid-October when they were photographed dining together in Los Angeles. The following evening, they were seen holding hands at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
Fans shared throwback photos revealing the musicians have known each other since at least 2017, when Eilish was 15 and Rutherford was 26 (per Page Six).
Many fans were upset by the singer’s choice of Halloween costume
Billie Eilish fans were concerned about her Halloween costume highlighting her age difference with Jesse Rutherford. They discussed the controversial outfits in a Reddit thread.
“Who possibly thought this was a good idea,” one fan wrote, adding a crying emoji.
Another fan said, “My sister is 20 and I’m 31 and my brain glitches every time I think of someone my age dating her. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it right.”
“Feels extra weird after coming out with music criticizing men for that very thing,” wrote one fan.
Another fan compared Eilish’s relationship to the one Demi Lovato described in their new song “29.” “Billie, baby, one day you’re going to have a Demi Lovato ‘29’ moment and realize how sick it was this man in his early 30s who knew you as a teenager pursued you sexually. Or at least I hope you do,” the fan commented.
Billie Eilish sang about age and power dynamics in the song ‘Your Power’
Billie Eilish has a history of dating older men. From 2018 to 2018, she dated rapper Brandon “Q” Adams, who is five years older than her. She also dated actor Matthew Tyler Vorce, who is 10 years her senior, from 2021 to 2022.
Eilish’s 2021 album Happier Than Ever featured the song “Your Power,” a track about age and power dynamics in romantic relationships. It includes the lyrics, “And you swear you didn’t know / You said you thought she was your age / How dare you? / And how could you?”
While promoting the album, Eilish told Rolling Stone, “I hope people break up with their boyfriends because of it. And I hope they don’t get taken advantage of.” She won the MTV VMAs 2021 Video For Good Award for the “Your Power” music video.
