American singer and nine-time Grammy winner Billie Eilish released her third studio album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” on Friday, May 17. Following her second Oscar win at the 2024 Academy Awards for the poignant hit “What Was I Made For,” fans were anticipating new releases from the singer. Eilish announced the album in early April on Instagram, posting the album cover along with an exciting caption that she would not release any singles to give the album to her fans all at once. Although “Hit Me Hard and Soft” is a brief 10-track album, Eilish produces a well-composed project for her fans.
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The album opens with “SKINNY,” where Billie addresses criticism about her body from social media users. The song starts with melancholy violin, immediately setting a somber mood to allow listeners to take a harsh dive into Eilish’s world of fame. Since she blew up in 2015 with “Ocean Eyes,” Eilish has released numerous songs regarding her self-perception, as well as discussing her body image to multiple media outlets, mentioning that she finds the negativity that comes with fame to be rough sometimes. In the first verse, Eilish says “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,” replying back to the numerous critical comments. Rather than snapping back at the shamers, Eilish delivers a well-written affirmation that advocates for self-acceptance, creating a way for her to relate to some of her audience.
Following the reflective song is the track, “LUNCH”, a bold play on the comparison of a same-sex relationship and the afternoon meal, where Eilish playfully sings “I could eat that girl for lunch / Yeah she dances on my tongue / Tastes like she might be the one.” The song serves as a contrasting project to the vulnerability she showed in “Skinny,” ultimately adding diversity to the album with elements of surprise. In the past, Eilish has received backlash for queerbaiting in her music, such as “Lost Cause,” where she posted pictures and behind-the-scenes videos of her dancing with other girls. Though she has not publicly addressed the accusations, Eilish is commendable for continuing to release songs where she is open to talking about her identity, further describing how the creation of this song helped her discover and embrace herself.
Apart from the tracks where Eilish lets us into her world of self-acceptance, she effortlessly delivers a wide range of vocals with lyrics that convey her reminiscing about past trauma and relationships. Her older brother, FINNEAS, who produces her songs, perfectly complements her impressive vocals with unique and mood-amplifying beats, creating songs that are nothing short of outstanding. For example, in the third track, “CHIHIRO,” the addition of new synths and layering of Eilish’s voice create suspense and lead to a rather out-of-body chorus. Track eight, “THE DINER” takes a deep dive into the darker side of fame. Eilish’s distorted voice sings, “I saw you in the car with someone else and couldn’t sleep / If somethin’ happens to him, you can bet that it was me,”’ describing a quite frightening scene from the point of view of a stalker. In this song, Eilish deepens her voice to convey the unsettling moods of the song, which impressively differentiates itself from the majority of soft songs on the album, creating a compelling blend of tracks.
Eilish powerfully adapts her voice to match the storytelling of the songs throughout the album, varying her moods from angelic and free, mysterious and eerie or depressing and sorrowful. FINNEAS’s deliberate plan to compose mood-setting instrumental elements on each track, such as violin or guitar, accredits the thoughtfulness put into every song, additionally creating a way for listeners to resonate with the emotions present in the album. With creative lyricism and Eilish’s versatile voice accompanied with innovative production, “Hit Me Hard and Soft” is overall a flawless album that “hits” fans hard.
4.5/5
