Billie Eilish is one of the most interesting artists of her generation, and she took us on quite a journey on each of her albums. Hit Me Hard and Soft is no exception to this rule, and it sees the young singer getting experimental, while still staying true to herself.
Just like Eilish suggested when she first announced it, her third studio album will hit you hard and soft, both lyrically and sonically, while journeying “through a vast and expansive audio landscape, immersing listeners into a full spectrum of emotions.”
Eilish never shied away from getting weird and experimental, but her talent to constantly reinvent herself shines more brightly than ever on Hit Me Hard and Soft. She’s constantly changing things up, sometimes even within a single song, and each risk she takes eventually pays off.
The first half of the album is definitely the softer one, and it kicks off with a reflective opener “Skinny” before serving “Lunch” and “Chihiro”, which are already shaping up to be its biggest hits. “Birds of a Feather” and “Wildflower” keep things tame, before Eilish delivers a major shift on the second half of the album.
“L’Amour de Ma Vie” perfectly captures what Hit Me Hard and Soft is all about, walking a fine line between different genres and themes for five minutes straight. She wraps things up on a melancholic note with “Blue”, revisiting some of the themes and lyrics that made this record what it is.
Eilish has given us another no-skips album with this 10-song collection that perfectly captures her growth. Hit Me Hard and Soft lives up to its name in the best way possible, and it sees Eilish pushing sonic boundaries while taking us to the depths of her soul.
