I would like to preface this article with my bias to the topic. I have been a huge fan of Billie Eilish and her work for the past 6 years. As one who follows her content closely, when she announced her third album titled “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” I was beyond ecstatic.
The album begins with the song “SKINNY” which is a gorgeous song with an equally gorgeous message. Although the song is slower, it touches on her struggles with the media’s view of her and others’ body image. She discusses the importance of valuing your own opinion over that of the media’s. The song ends with a beautiful orchestra instrumental which ties the entire message together. The instrumental piece then fades into the beat of the next song.
The second track on the album titled “LUNCH” contrasts the previous song as it is much more upbeat and fun. The song focuses on the themes of love and attraction. This song has become one of the more popular songs on the album and is especially notable for its raw and honest depiction of her emotions, while also blending humor and sincerity.
Continuing the upbeat tone of the previous song, the third track is titled “CHIHIRO”. This piece is inspired by the character Chihiro from the Studio Ghibli film “Spirited Away.” The lyrics show emotional complexity, uncertainty, and the struggles of maintaining relationships during change. She discusses feelings of detachment and the search for sincerity and understanding in a difficult relationship. Although I might say this about every song on this album, this is one of my favorites. It has an interesting beat and switches between two different beats throughout this song. Many have said this song reminds them of the Stranger Things theme due to the eerie beat.
The fourth song of the tracklist is “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” which is also one of my favorites and has become increasingly popular on the social media app TikTok. Fans have speculated this song is about her brother Finneas due to their close relationship, but this is not confirmed. The song explores themes of love, loyalty, and a connection that lasts until the end of time. The phrase “birds of a feather” implies that the two are naturally meant to be together and share a unique connection. Billie has mentioned that the entirety of her album draws from multiple people and experiences rather than focusing on a singular one. Junior Kaylee Roberts remarked, “I enjoy the song “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” because of its publicity on TikTok”.
Following this song is the track “WILDFLOWER.” I could talk about this track for hours. The complex meaning behind this song is truly impressive as the thought behind it highlights Billie’s song-writing prowess. Many fans have speculated this song to be about Billie Eilish’s relationship with fellow singer Jesse Rutherford. Their relationship was highly controversial in the media due to their age gap. Before being in a relationship with Billie, Jesse was in a long-term relationship with Devon Lee Carlson, an American fashion influencer and entrepreneur. The lyrics in this song detail the complexities of being in a new relationship while still haunted by the memories of a partner’s previous relationship which many speculate to be about Jesse and Devon. One junior says, “[her] favorite song is “WILDFLOWER” because [she] like[s] the story behind it and the way Billie was able to put it in perspective”. I love this song’s lyrical imagery as well as emotional depth. Billie’s distinctive voice and emotive delivery add a layer of authenticity and rawness to the song.
Continuing the slow pace, the sixth track on this album is “THE GREATEST.” This song delves into the complex emotions of a one-sided relationship. The lyrics highlight her feelings of loneliness and neglect despite her sacrifices and patience in relationships. The song has a beat change midway through the song which is presented as she belts the line “Man am I the greatest”. This belt shifts the song into the more upbeat or yelling portion of the song. This conveys her passion and power, injecting a sense of urgency or real emotion into her performances.
The seventh track in this song is “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” meaning “love of my life” in French. This song begins slowly as Billie confesses to an ex that she wasn’t telling the truth when she told them that they were the love of her life. While doing this she also calls out her ex for how they treated her in the relationship. The song then shifts to a twist in the bridge that shows the realization that her ex was in love with her but the feelings were not mutual. The song then fades into a second hyperpop verse discussing Eilish’s enjoyment of being out of the relationship.
Following this is the song “THE DINER” which is written from the perspective of a stalker. People stalking her has been a prevalent issue which she has discussed in her music. By singing this from the perspective of her stalkers she makes an effective commentary on the significant age difference between Billie and her stalkers. Throughout the song, she mentions a phone number which is then whispered at the end of the track. Many fans contacted this number to find it is a number to receive updates on Billie Eilish with a link to a ‘community’ sign-up page.
The second to last song on the album is “BITTERSUITE” which opens very boldly and loudly. The song discusses the inner struggle of wanting to fall in love but realizes how she might need to protect herself due to her presence in the media. This also highlights the depth of her longing as well as how she feels detached from her own emotions. The end of this song plays an electronic melody of a leaked unreleased song titled “True Blue”. For many fans, hearing this melody was exciting when listening to the album in order as many have waited for this track to be officially released since 2016.
The excitement continued for fans when the final track of the album, “BLUE,” began and it was a new rendition of the leaked unreleased song. The lyrics in this song contain many lyrics from the previous songs in the album. This creates a satisfying close to the album by concluding all of the songs together.
The last line of “BLUE” is “But when can I hear the next one?” Many fans have speculated that Billie will be releasing a second album to follow “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.” This final line in the album has increased these speculations and left fans eager and waiting for more.
Sophomore Tommy Hartnett says, “I thought sonically the album was a big step away from what she has done historically, and I love how truly she has been able to embrace her authentic self through this new album. Especially with her coming out recently, I feel like it is super significant for her to tell her story through her lyrics”. Tommy is referring to Billie coming out as bisexual in a Variety article published in December of last year. It was a significant moment for her and her fans.
In my admittedly biased opinion, Billie Eilish’s album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” is a multifaceted masterpiece that delves into the complexities of love, relationships, self-image, and fame. Each track offers a unique insight into Eilish’s personal journey while also utilizing different music styles throughout the album. From the vulnerability of “SKINNY” to the allure of “BITTERSUITE,” Eilish can captivate her listeners with her distinctive voice and through her intelligent lyrics.
The album’s seamless blend of genres demonstrates Eilish’s versatility as an artist. Her ability to tackle difficult subjects helps to set her apart in the music industry. As the final notes of “BLUE” fade, listeners are left craving more. With speculation about a potential second album, the anticipation among fans is palpable. “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” not only solidifies Eilish’s place as a cultural icon for Gen Z but also leaves an impact on those who resonate with her artistry and vision.
