The 'Bad Guy' hitmaker has granted permission to nonprofit CoralWatch for the use of her 2016 single after eight-year-old Elijah Richardson asked her to join the cause back in 2020.
- Nov 23, 2021
AceShowbiz - Billie Eilish is working to help protect Australia's Great Barrier Reef - she has lent nonprofit bosses her 2016 single "Ocean Eyes" to publicize the ongoing threat to its coral.
The "Bad Guy" hitmaker has granted permission to chiefs at CoralWatch for the use of her breakout track after eight-year-old Elijah Richardson asked her to join the cause last year (2020).
"I'm really excited and I'm really happy, thank you Billie for saying yes," Richardson said in a video shared to Facebook over the weekend (November 19 to 21) by the nonprofit. "Somehow (my request) got to her eventually and she said yes," said the boy.
Staff at the nonprofit were also thrilled to receive Billie's blessing. "SHE SAID YES! Billie Eilish has given us permission to use her song 'Ocean eyes' to help us raise further awareness about the reef! Thank you Billie!" they stated.
Officials at CoralWatch are also trying to recruit two more big stars to their cause. They revealed, "Now we're eyeing off the next big goal: Getting Kit Harington and Robert De Niro to join our watch... Keep your eyes peeled for the videos coming soon! You see, we need more 'Ocean eyes' doing CoralWatch surveys to help look out for coral bleaching on our beautiful Great Barrier Reef."
Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef has been badly damaged by marine heatwaves that have resulted in mass bleaching events, leading to the disappearance of half of the shallow-water coral systems.
It's not the first time Eilish has acted to highlight the damaging effects of climate change. Last month (October 2021), ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate summit, she teamed up with Rainn Wilson, British explorer Levison Wood and Robert Irwin - son of late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin, to urge world leaders to work together to save the planet.
"This year our leaders are deciding the global actions required on the environment climate emergency in a critical decade for our planet," Eilish said in the brief video message. "We must stand together and speak up to save our planet, not just for us, but for our future generations, and we need urgent, urgent action now and to work together as one."
