Billie Eilish’s third album is finally here! Eilish had been stuck in a rut. Her last single “What Was I Made For?” was made during a time when “we couldn’t have been less inspired and less creative,” said Eilish on Entertainment Weekly. Now, her album “Hit Me Hard And Soft” comes after a long awaited gap between her first two successful albums that skyrocketed her to fame. The title reflects the album’s sound, with Eilish stating that the album, “Hits you hard and soft both lyrically and sonically while bending genres and defying trends along the way.” Being a fan of Eilish since my first listen of her song “Six Feet Under,” I’ve always been intrigued by the unique effects she uses to enhance the atmosphere of the song along with the song’s story. Here are the top three songs from her new album that I enjoyed and resonated with the most.
Lunch
Her lead single “Lunch” is sonically reminiscent of early 2000s songs. The catchy beat and simple yet erotic lyrics portray Eilish’s bisexuality and her newfound confidence. She is owning and expressing her romantic interests along with her strong infatuation with someone (“it’s a craving, not a crush”). This is definitely a song that makes me want to get up from my seat and dance.
Birds Of A Feather
Per the common saying, “birds of a feather flock together,” Eilish’s upbeat song focuses on the loyalty and commitment she has for someone she loves, singing “I don’t know what I’m cryin’ for / I don’t think I could love you more.” It reminded me of the devotion and faith embedded in some of the strongest relationships in my life that I’ll always cherish, even if they “might not be forever.” The highlight of the song for me was the ending with the high harmonies and where she belts out “‘Til the day that I die,” emphasizing her strong vocals and strong emotions.
The Greatest
“The Greatest” starts off with soft acoustic guitar, which suits Eilish’s signature whisper vocals and highlights the hurt and frustration of waiting for someone who doesn’t appreciate your love and patience. She sings “Man, am I the greatest / My congratulations / All my love and patience / All my admiration / All the times I waited.” The purposeful voice crack in her voice when she sings, “Made it all look painless,” intensifies her pained emotions and makes my heart split in two for her. I particularly appreciate the end of the song where she switches her sarcastic tone in the chorus to a more tender tone, as she wishes someone would reciprocate her love. She finishes the song with the lyrics “I shouldn’t have to say it / You could’ve been the greatest.”
Overall, I really enjoyed how Eilish played around with different sounds production-wise and delved deeper into her emotions, specifically related to her romantic relationships within this album. Seeing the growth, maturity and self-awareness from her previous album “Happier than Ever” to this new album has been extremely exciting. Fans can see the increase of confidence in her vocals and the experimentation with her music production. This album really did hit me hard and soft in my heart.
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Featured Image via Interscope Records
