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Billie Eilish’s fans are mad they’re getting refunds for tour tickets. Yes, really

Billie Eilish performs at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in 2019.
Billie Eilish performs at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in July 2019.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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In another very strange but almost predictable turn of events this year, Billie Eilish fans are out of sorts that they’re getting their money back for tickets to her “Where Do We Go?” tour.

The Grammy-winning “Bad Guy” crooner on Thursday set off her long-suffering fan base — occasionally referred to as “eyelashes,” “pirates” or “avocados” — by tweeting a note about the refunds.

“[W]e’ve tried as many different scenarios as possible for the tour but none are possible and, although i know so many of you want to hold onto your tickets and vip passes, the best thing we can do for everyone is to get the money back into your hands as soon as we can,” the singer wrote in a statement, promising to share details about any upcoming tours.

The 18-year-old phenom’s debut arena tour, which kicked off in Miami in early March, was among many that were postponed in the spring and ultimately canceled when stay-at-home orders went into effect to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Months later, repercussions are still being felt throughout live-entertainment industries as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge across the U.S. — a fact apparently lost on Eilish’s fans.

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Eilish’s latest announcement was part and parcel of the postponement/cancellation/refund routine that’s become a familiar ritual throughout this forlorn year. But hundreds of young fans were not having it, beseeching the “Therefore I Am” artist to honor and let them keep their precious tickets.

Why? Tickets for the 42-date tour were nearly impossible to obtain, they said. Not to mention expensive. SeatGeek estimated that the average price for a regular ticket was $234, which means front-row seats and VIP options cost far more. In October, Pollstar reported that a half-million tickets were sold during the first hour of sales for the five-month stint that would take the “Ocean Eyes” singer through North America, South America and Europe.

The struggle was very real for her fans.

“Brb while I go cry into my pillow!” said a reply to Eilish’s statement. “It took so long to get front row too just let us keep our tickets until you tour again pleaseeee!! It’s so hard to get them in first place, never mind a second time.”

“i worked my ass off to get tickets and i didn’t even make half of what i paid for my tickets at the time,” said another reply.

“The fact that corona ruined the one thing that kept me going. and how hard it was to buy a ticket... dude. gonna go cry brb,” wrote another user.

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“Like [I know] this isn’t directly Billie’s fault but I’m not gonna be able to get tickets the second time. Like I’ve waited years to see her and now I have to refund the one chance I had...? It’s just kinda disappointing,” said a different user.

“The fact we won’t get refunded for ticket fees and delivery, we will never be able to get the same seats again, we will not be guaranteed that we will ever see Billie live again as she is getting bigger and bigger so more people want to see her. Just keep the tickets for the [n]ext tour to come. We don’t care if it’s the when we all fall asleep tour we want to see Billie. LET US KEEP OUR TICKETS!!” mused another.

Perhaps sensing the backlash to come, Eilish signed off her missive with a reminder to her fans to “stay safe, drink lots of water” and to “wear a mask.”

Too bad a mask won’t cover their ocean-filled eyes.

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