Billie Eilish Brought Strict Vegan Policy To 6-Night Run At O2 Arena In London

Billie Eilish brought more than music to her six-night run at the O2 Arena over the last week – she brought an entirely vegan experience with her.

The 23-year-old pop star required that every food vendor at the venue offer 100% plant-based options for the duration of her "Hit Me Hard and Soft" shows, effectively turning the O2 into a fully vegan space. The menu featured items such as chipotle tacos, peri-peri halloumi wraps, pizzas, pancakes, and a corn naan, making it the arena's first time hosting an event with no animal products sold on-site.

The O2 also held an Eco Village for the tour to influence fans into taking action about global warming. And with a pre-recorded short film narrated by Eilish running before each set, the environmental efforts unfolding behind the scenes were brought to the fore – from plant-based crew meals to sustainably made merch.

Fans Divided On Vegan Menu

Though many fans praised the move for its environmental theme, others had a less positive response. One concertgoer told the Daily Mail that "punters were less than impressed with the vegan options," and claimed the reaction from some fans was, "Did they run out of meat or something?"

"When venue staff explained that the directive had come from Billie, they were largely met with eye rolls and groans," the attendee said, adding that although the drinks menu was better received, "plenty of fans will have resorted to ordering a takeaway when they got home."

However, other than the split opinion on the food, the shows themselves were well received with Eilish belting out hits such as "Ocean Eyes," "No Time to Die" and "What Was I Made For?"

A Lifelong Commitment To Animal Welfare

Eilish has spoken frequently about how she was raised in a vegetarian home and eventually became vegan.

In a past interview, she said she gave up dairy after learning about the cruelty of the industry, calling it "completely, unreasonably inhumane" to kill animals "just for the pleasure of something that tastes good."

Her mother, Maggie Baird, also embraced a plant-based lifestyle in the '70s and has been outspoken about the ethical reasons behind the switch. "It was like a weight off my shoulders," she said. "Once you really open your mind to knowing about it, it is impossible not to go all the way with it."

Following the O2 dates, Eilish will head to Manchester's Co-op Live arena, which has already announced it will continue the plant-based policy "in alignment with [Billie's] dedication to environmental action."

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Concert, Billie Eilish