Billie Eilish is receiving backlash online over her comments about boyfriend Jesse Rutherford.
The "Bad Guy" singer, 20, and The Neighbourhood lead vocalist, 31, were first romantically linked in October after they were spotted kissing and cuddling at various Los Angeles restaurants.
Later in October, Eilish posted a photo of their Halloween outing on Instagram, seemingly confirming their relationship.
In early November, the pair made their red-carpet debut at the LACMA Art + Film Gala, where they wore matching Gucci outfits and posed for photos underneath a quilt from the Italian brand.
"I just am really inspired by this person, and, you know, he's inspired by me," the Grammy Award winner told Vanity Fair in an interview published on November 28.
"It's really cool, and I'm really excited and I'm really happy about it," Eilish added, before biting back at the backlash over their age gap.
"Say what you need to say, but, like, I am in control right now. I did this. I managed to get my life to a point where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f****** f***** alive, but pulled his a**! Are you kidding me? Can we just [get a] round of applause for me?"
Following her comments, people were quick to criticize Eilish.
"Meanwhile he can't catch someone his age. Such a catch," one person wrote in a comment that has since racked up more than 6,000 likes.
"She's gonna regret this in 20 years," someone else commented in a separate post that garnered nearly 1,000 likes.
"Sorry but I just threw up in my mouth," a third wrote, while a fourth added, "Not a flex."
"The man is 31 in full swing of his adult life and the girl is not even allowed to legally drink beer yet," a fifth chimed in. "They've known each other since she was FIFTEEN years old. A literal child."
According to photos posted by a Jesse Rutherford fan account on Twitter in 2017, Eilish and Rutherford have known each other since she was 15 years old.
The backlash comes after the couple were slammed over their "disturbing" Halloween costumes.
Eilish dressed up as a baby, complete with a diaper and slippers, and Rutherford dressed as an old man. Though they haven't spoken out about the costumes specifically, the duo appeared to be poking fun at their age difference.
While the "Happier Than Ever" artist has given fans a glimpse into her relationship, Eilish has said she purposely keeps her romances out of the spotlight.
During an appearance on Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp in September 2020, she told the British radio host, "I've had relationships and kept them private. And even the ones that I've had; with the tiny amount that I've let the world see, I regret."
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About the writer
Megan Cartwright is Newsweek's Deputy Entertainment Editor, based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. pop culture and entertainment ... Read more