Singer-songwriter Ethel Cain has responded to backlash for posting the hashtag #KillMoreCEOs following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December.
Cain—who used the hashtag while sharing a quote critiquing corporate influence in U.S. politics—defended her stance in a lengthy Tumblr post, arguing that her views are not politically motivated but stem from personal experience with corporate power, particularly in the healthcare sector.
"I find it funny that conservatives try to paint me calling for the death and destruction of multi-billionaire CEOs as some radical 'woke liberal' standpoint," Cain wrote. "As if that even has anything to do with politics." She emphasized her upbringing in a "deeply conservative family in the sticks of Florida," adding that the U.S. healthcare system had failed her loved ones repeatedly.
Cain warned that if ordinary Americans, both left- and right-wing, realize they have a common enemy in powerful corporations, "all hell is gonna break loose."
The controversy began when Cain shared a quote from former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich about the influence of wealthy corporations on politics, adding that protests alone were ineffective and that CEOs should "fear for their lives." Fox News host Jason Chaffetz condemned her remarks, calling them "sick and depraved," with political commentator Guy Benson stating that her message promotes violence. The network's co-hosts called for a boycott of her music.
Ethel cain made it to fox news LETS GOOO pic.twitter.com/eCoV9zusQI
— ethel cain struggles (@TheCainStruggle) January 16, 2025
Cain's latest album, Perverts, was released to critical acclaim, with Forbes magazine featuring her in its 30 Under 30 in 2024. The artist and occasional model remains unapologetic, asserting that she "genuinely means" what she says.
Originally published on Latin Times
