Billie Eilish releases third studio album, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” – Album Review

Review by Katherine Garcia – 

 Billie Eilish released her third studio album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” on the 17th of May and it has already hit #1 on the charts in 14 different countries. 

The album is a bit shorter than her other two albums with only ten tracks but shows off her talent stronger than it ever has. Between her vocals, production from Billie’s older brother Finneas, branching out on genres, and even bringing back unreleased music, this album has blown fans out of the water and has had amazing success in a very short amount of time.  I started listening to Billie while in middle school back in 2017 with her earliest hit “Ocean Eyes.” I’ve been actively listening to her ever since then and I can say that this album is her strongest work.  The album starts with a soft guitar and her song “SKINNY” about all that she’s been through, speaking on how the public has been able to view her as she grows older, relationships, and just reflecting on the past. The softness of her voice and guitar creates a warm yet passionate start to her next “hot” song with more of a dance vibe.  “LUNCH” has become a popular track off the album, even before the album came out. Billie teased and used snippets from the song and it immediately blew up across the internet. This is Billie being openly queer after speaking on it to different reporters and using this song to be open about her sexuality.  “CHIHIRO” is one of my favorite tracks and uses a completely new sound with one of the most catchy baselines I’ve ever heard with an out-of-this-world feeling. This song was loosely based on “Spirited Away” from the point of view of one of the characters “Hayao Miyazaki” and had been used as snippets with the famous lines “Not today, maybe tomorrow“ and “Open up the door.”  The album takes a romantic and fun turn with “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” with lyrics that will touch your heart with Billie’s highest-ever belt that just elevates the song.   The next two tracks “WILDFLOWER” and “THE GREATEST” are two of the most emotional tracks on the album touching on heartbreaking topics in relationships. A moment I must touch on is the big switch in “THE GREATEST” which resembles her iconic song “Happier Than Ever” with such a passionate and strong production.  “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” was the last snippet Billie leaked and used to promote, starting with a witty jazz vibe to transition into a club beat that will get you out of your seat.  Her next track “THE DINER” sounds the most reminiscent of her “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” album with a sinister and evil beat in the point of view of her stalker whom she has spoken about in the past.  The last two tracks go hand and hand, starting with “BITTERSUITE,” a rollercoaster of a song where that starts powerful into a soft catchy beat that finally leads into the song most fans have been waiting for.  For years, an unreleased song has been circulating the internet called “True Blue.” I myself am very guilty of following where this leak was put and listening to it whenever I needed comfort, so this was a very sweet surprise. Billie finally released this song mixed with another old song that fans hadn’t heard yet, 5 minutes and 41 seconds of a young Billie’s mind in 2024.

In conclusion, between amazing songwriting and intricate music production, this album dives into new genres that fans can enjoy and combines all of Billie’s and Finneas’ strong suits from past albums to make a memorable album to fit any type of emotion you’re feeling.

Billie Eilish is embarking on her “Hit Me Hard And Soft Tour” this year – Find tickets and tour dates here!

Featured image from Amazon.com.