Billie Eilish is an artist who grew up in public attention. At the age of 23, she already has more than a decade of musical fame and career success, following her debut single release ‘Ocean Eyes’, which went viral on Soundcloud when she was 16. The song was written by her brother FINNEAS (Finneas O’Connell) who was only 18 at the time.
After taking out nine GRAMMYS to date, including Song of the Year GRAMMYs for ‘bad guy’ and ‘What Was I Made For?’ and with Record of the Year for ‘everything i wanted’ and ‘bad guy’, Eilish is one of the top grossing singer/songwriters of her generation. Apart from talent and passion, she also has charisma, and has become a role model for teens who not only enjoy her music, but look up to her for her personality and what she stands for. For anyone who has watched Eilish’s annual interview series with Vanity Fair, it’s obvious that she has come a long way. Authentic in her angst and vulnerabilities, Eilish is now unapologetically herself.
Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour comes off the back of Eilish’s third studio album of the same name, and showcases a star in her prime, ruling the stage like it’s her own bedroom, rocking and jumping to the rhythm. The 360-degree stage at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena was a real treat that not only offered an unhindered view, but allowed Eilish’s energy to ignite the whole space, complete with pulsing laser projections and large screens that would sometimes live-stream from her hand-held camera – the eye contact was enough to set off a wave of screams among fans.
Elements of fire and water were thrown into the mix with the stage set-up, with a large metal cage at the centre of the stage serving as a multipurpose platform for the singer and an array of breathtaking visuals.
Moving seamlessly from playful tracks like ‘Lunch’ and power singles like ‘Therefore I Am’ to the soft ballads of ‘THE GREATEST’ and ‘when the party’s over’, Eilish delivered the full spectrum of her artistry in Hit Me Hard and Soft without missing a beat. A special inclusion was Charli xcx’s ‘Guess featuring billie eilish’, a collaborative remix from the pair. Charli xcx was not in the show, but her energy, as well as the ‘brat green’ colourway that has become synonymous with the British singer, were keenly present, turning the arena into a massive rave party.
Eilish herself proclaimed on social media that the team “had the time of our lives” throughout the 12 shows in Australia, which ended in Melbourne on 8 March.
Hit Me Hard and Soft wrapped up with ‘BIRDS OF A FEATHER’ and no encore. If there were any complaint, it would have been for the concert to last longer.
Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour played in three Australian cities (Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne) and will travel to 17 other destinations internationally.
