The Neighbourhood frontman has stirred controversy with a song he released after his breakup with Billie Eilish.

Jesse Rutherford is known as the frontman of the band The Neighbourhood. Rutherford has also released music as a solo artist.

In 2022, he became the focus of worldwide attention when he began dating singer Billie Eilish. The couple’s relationship was the source of controversy among the public due to their age difference. Many were also uncomfortable with the fact that Eilish was a fan and underage when she first met Rutherford.

However, the two played along with the controversy and Eilish’s brother even defended his sister’s relationship. Ultimately, the relationship didn’t last, but Rutherford kept making music. In fact, there was one song he released following the breakup which many believe is about Eilish.

Jesse Rutherford Released A Song After His Breakup With Billie That Some Think Is About Her

In 2023, Rutherford released “&ONE,” his first solo album since 2019. The album was released in August 2023, three months after his breakup with Eilish was publicly confirmed. One of the tracks on the album, “POV,” made waves on social media due to its lyrics.

“She’s been listening to me since 2013 / I know she’s got daddy issues, welcome to the family,” Rutherford raps.

There are many who believe these lyrics are a reference to the large age gap between Eilish and Rutherford, as well as Eilish being a fan of his before they began dating.

In 2019, a 17-year-old Eilish revealed that Rutherford’s band The Neighbourhood was the first gig she ever attended.

At the time, Eilish told NME the show was “one of the best nights” of her life. She added, “Then I met Jesse, like, the end of last year maybe. I love him so much, oh my god! He’s so good, bro. F***.”

Three years later, the pair began dating when Eilish was 20 years old and Rutherford was 31.

Rutherford also raps in the song, “I’m at the top, you’re at the bottom / It’s a different point of view.”

Many users on social media, including some within Eilish’s fan base, felt Rutherford’s lyrics were “disrespectful” towards Eilish.

“Feel like Alejandro when she Gaga on my goo,” Rutherford goes on, referencing Lady Gaga’s 2010 hit “Alejandro.”

Eilish’s brother, Finneas, defended his sister’s relationship when responding to a TikTok user who told him, “Oh yeah? Well, your sister’s dating a 31 year old man and your music is s****y.”

“I want my sister to be happy and safe and she is a 21 year old adult perfectly entitled to make her own life decisions,” Finneas commented in response.

Finneas previously defended the relationship when speaking to E! News, saying, “Listen, as long as she’s happy, I’m happy.”

In addition to “POV,” many believed Rutherford was referencing Eilish in his song “Law of Attraction” when he rapped, “She’s only 21, savage / But she’s a bad b****.”

In another song, “Turn Heel,” Rutherford named Eilish directly in the line, “Friends with celebrities, no really / I just got a text from Billie Eilish.”

The Age Gap Between Billie And Jessie Made Some Social Media Users Uncomfortable

Rutherford’s lyrics made people uncomfortable, with many believing Rutherford was referencing the fact that Eilish is much younger than him, particularly with the Gaga lyric in “POV.”

One user tweeted, “jesse rutherford needs to be locked up cus wtf are those lyrics ab billie,” while another wrote, “this is genuinely so disturbing.”

Another posted, “i was happy seeing billie keeping good terms with jesse but now when i look at this…,,, it’ll be really weird if she decide to stay friends with this man this is disrespectful.”

The pair previously stirred controversy when Eilish dressed as a baby for Halloween while Rutherford dressed as an old man. Someone referenced this costume in their post when criticizing Rutherford and the song.

“a 10 year age gap isn’t inherently even remotely a big deal but that man being self aware about the fact that billie was a child when his career PEAKED not to mention the halloween costume… jesse when i f****** catch you,” they wrote.

Another observed, “the ‘gaga on my goo’ lyric is even more disturbing when you remember they dressed up as an old grandpa and a baby for halloween last year… this man is just f****** creepy all around.”

One user even referenced how young Eilish was in 2013, the year Rutherford specified in “POV.”

“Singing about how your ex was listening to your music when she was a child and you were a grown man, then bragging about her having daddy issues,” the person wrote. “Literally so f****** gross I’m glad she left him.”

Another person shared this sentiment, writing, “jesse rutherford mentioning that billie eilish was listening to him in 2013 is so f****** weird when you remember that she was 11 years old then.”

Billie Said She Is Still Friends With Jesse After Confirming Their Breakup

In November 2022, Eilsh sat down with Vanity Fair for her sixth annual interview with the outlet. She was asked, “Do you have a boyfriend now?”

“Yeah I do,” Eilish answered. “I’m really happy about it. I managed to get my way to a point in my life where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f****** f***er alive, but pulled his ass.”

She concluded, “Jesse Rutherford, everyone!…I locked that motherf***er down.”

Unfortunately, Eilish’s rep revealed the two broke up with a very different statement in May 2023.

“We can confirm Billie and Jesse did split amicably and remain good friends,” the rep said.

Eilish herself would comment on the split publicly for the first time during an AMA on her Instagram Stories.

When a fan asked Eilish if she was dating anyone, she responded, “NO SIRRRRRR.”

Another fan simply wrote “Jesse?” to which Eilish responded, “Very very good friends only. My homie forever.”