Billie Eilish - Hit me Hard and Soft
There are so many places to start with Miss Eilish, but one thing I will begin with is that this album is a masterpiece. This is her third studio album and it couldn’t have been any more perfect. The album being titled Hit me hard and soft is the greatest way to describe the flow of this musical journey, as each song really captured either a deep emotion or gave me a fun/light break.
We start with Skinny which captured my ears instantly. One thing that Billie is exceptionally good at is creating music that truly takes your hearing hostage - it’s atmospheric, it’s light whilst also giving depth. Her storytelling knows absolutely no bounds and she invites us into her mind with lyrics like,
“People say I look happy
Just because I got skinny
But the old me is still me and maybe the real me
And I think she's pretty
And I still cry”.
This was a hit me hard moment and I was truly connecting with the song - the emotions that I felt personally is what I love about her as an artist and what I enjoy about music in general. It should move you, it should make you feel something, whether it’s good or bad. The album progresses into a softer moment with some pop/dance type vibes, which was appreciated and reminiscent of the old Billie. Lunch and Chihiro is her taking her foot off our necks for a minute and allowing us to dance away. Billie confirms that she likes girls in her own way and I love that for her! She controlled the narrative and had me (straight as hell) singing “I could eat that girl for lunch” - it’s a damn good song.
Her brother, Finneas literally is her right hand man and Birds of a feather was such a beautiful tribute to him and their relationship. This song quite literally punched a hole through streaming platforms and trended like you wouldn’t believe, because again Billie’s airy and light vocals on such a bubbly song makes sense. Her use of little r’n’b sounding runs were such a nice touch and added something extra that I wasn’t expecting from her - range.
Where my mind was BLOWN was on Wildflower and The Greatest. EVERY SINGLE LAST OUNCE OF WHAT EVER BILLIE HAD WAS PUT INTO THOSE SONGS. From the arrangement of the music to the vocals - like what?! Are you dumb?! Billie come to the front! She belted. Miss Billie Eilish belted. Head Voice ON. I couldn’t believe it and it was done in such a strategic way - this lil woman has some power on her and it’s not to be played with. I felt every emotion through both songs and the backing vocals layered and stacked in were where this pushed through and grabbed me.
Quick side note - if you haven’t watched her amazon prime performance then have a quick break and hit the play button below. The performances features a singing technique called a Canon - so so smart.
From the deep emotions she takes us back to some fun with songs such as L’amour De Ma vie, The Diner and Bittersuite. L’amour De Ma Vie is a front runner for me, because there is something chaotic about telling someone you were the love my life but I wish you the best over a upbeat pop beat - are you being serious or is this a joke? Who knows but I’m here for it.
Billie Eilish has mastered the art of being so feminine and delicate through her music as it quite literally transports you to a world of exploring emotions (maybe even some you thought you’d buried) and not being afraid to do so. Her vocal abilities over time have grown and the fact that she’s exploring with her range is something a lot of us have wanted to see from her and she did it while remaining true to her style and essence.
Hit me Hard and Soft has gone platinum in my house and will be played until I’m old and grey.
Rating: 5/5
Top songs:
Skinny
Lunch
Chihiro
Birds of a Feather
Wildflower
The Greatest
L’amour De Ma Vie