Recommended Tracks: “SKINNY”, “LUNCH“, “THE GREATEST”
Artists You Might Like: Lana Del Ray, Lorde, girl in red
Billie Eilish released her third full-length album on May 17th, titled HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. The album, co-produced with Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell, was announced on April 8th and is her first album since Happier Than Ever in 2021. Her announcement on Instagram, which garnered over seven million likes, read:
“‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ MY THIRD ALBUMMMMMMMMMMMMM COMES OUT MAY 17THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHH so crazy to be writing this right now. i’m nervyyyyy & exciteddd. not doing singles i wanna give it to you all at once. finneas and i truly could not be more proud of this album and we absolutely can’t wait for you to hear it. love you love you love you.”
During the month of April, lyrics were teased on billboards across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Eilish’s name was not found on the billboards, but her signature “blohsh” was, causing fans to take notice.
While the album only features 10 songs, it commands great power in every single second. The collection of songs has several themes, including those of introspection, love, and personal identity. It also features a wide variety of styles, from the slow-paced, orchestral “SKINNY”, to the upbeat, hyperpop “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE”.
The album kicks off with “SKINNY”, which explores similar themes to Oscar-winning track, “What Was I Made For?”. Eilish sings, “People say I look happy, just because I got skinny”, covering similar notions of societal expectations on women. The track is backed up by orchestral instruments, reminiscent of her performance at this year’s Oscars.
“THE GREATEST” explores similar themes, as Eilish highlights the pain that can come with unwavering devotion to a partner. This track starts off slow-paced like “SKINNY”, but later crescendoes while guitar and drums are added, emphasizing frustrations Eilish sings in the lyrics.
Heard later in the album is “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”, where Eilish sings about everlasting love that defies death. She sings, “Birds of a feather, we should stick together”, and adds, “Can’t change the weather, might not be forever”. This track has a classic indie-pop feel, and is more upbeat than intro track “SKINNY”.
“LUNCH” is also more upbeat, and is one of the album’s top tracks. Here, Eilish takes on a more playful feel with danceable beats and a catchy melody as she describes a love interest in the lyrics.
“BLUE”, the album’s closing track, mixes different elements used in the album. Here, Eilish starts off slow and dives into hip-hop beats as she grapples with the conflicting emotions attached to falling out of love. As “blue” as she states she feels in the song’s lyrics, she adds “But I can’t change you”, and “It’s over now”, reaching a sense of acceptance. “THE DINER” features slower, yet similar hip-hop beats.
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is an excellent example of Eilish’s versatility as an artist. The album’s ten songs gracefully weave in and out of each other, creating a final product that leaves the listener in awe.
Eilish is set to go on tour starting on September 29, 2024 at Quebec City, Canada’s Videotron Centre.
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