BY
Neo Wei Ting

Events Manager

Hype Issue #59

Published on

August 16, 2024

Following her massively successful album Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish returns after three years with her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. The album was co-written with her brother Finneas, who all fans know as her best friend and collaborator for almost all her work. 

On Apr 4, 2024, Eilish rolled out a clever marketing stunt by adding all her followers on Instagram to Close Friends (and here I thought I was special). From there, she posted pictures on her Instagram story that hinted at the possibility of a new album. What a way to spoil a new release because this brilliant tactic gained her ten million new followers, and captured attention regarding her upcoming plans.

Billie Eilish’s Instagram Close Friends’ Story that shocked her followers. The Story shows a cropped image from her Hit Me Hard and Soft album cover. Photo taken from Yahoo Movies

The highly anticipated comeback garnered the love and attention it deserved when it dropped on May 17. According to Billboard, Eilish earned a whopping 339,000 equivalent album sales, achieving a career peak for the 22-year-old singer. Fans could not wait to hear what the album had in store for them.

I was no exception; I listened to the album immediately upon its release. The album features 10 songs, totalling 43 minutes—considerably lengthy by today’s pop music standard, especially given that the average song duration nowadays is around three minutes. As I immersed myself in her incredible vocals, the only thought that ran through my mind was, what is this album really about?

After listening to all 10 tracks, each filled with sorrowful melodies, I found myself diving down a rabbit hole, to explore the meaning behind this album. In her interview with Rolling Stone, she looks back on the process behind Hit Me Hard and Soft. “I feel like this album is me,” said Eilish.

Through various interviews and research, it became clear that this album was a reflection of Eilish and her past. The American singer-songwriter had to embark on a journey of self-discovery, even going to lengths of revisiting her dreaded old self to create this album the way it is.

Eilish’s debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was a breakthrough in her career. Known for her spine-chilling yet catchy songs, Eilish, at just 17, embodied a haunting persona on her album cover, with hollow eyes and an eerie dark background. That was the image people associated her with. The album offered a glimpse into the fearful teenage mind of Eilish, who had a rough childhood marked by depression and self-harm. While writing her latest masterpiece, she reflected on her time in this state filled with vulnerability and deepest insecurities. The story behind this album, which led her to reconnect with her darker past, helped her embrace her former self and come to the realisation that it shaped who she is today.

The album cover of Billie Eilish’s debut studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?  Photo taken from Genius

 “This whole process has felt like I’m coming back to the girl that I was. I’ve been grieving her. I’ve been looking for her in everything, and it’s almost like she got drowned by the world and the media. I don’t remember when she went away,” said Eilish.

The concept of drowning was front and centre  among all the teasers she posted leading up to the album drop. What is shocking though is the inspiration behind her iconic blue album cover – water was her biggest fear as a child. Astonishingly, she endured a six-hour shoot underwater just to achieve the perfect album cover. A remarkable feat, indeed, reflecting her intense mindset that “if she doesn’t suffer somehow, she doesn’t feel good about what she’s doing”.

Beyond the arduous shoot for the album cover, blue was Eilish’s least favourite colour for a long time. This goes to show how the meaning behind her album is filled with hidden revelations.

Eilish’s bright blue hair in 2019, which she revealed she tried to get rid of for months. Photo taken from Cosmopolitan

Each track on Hit Me Hard and Soft holds a story of its own. Here are some of the more noteworthy ones from the album. 

The opening track, Skinny embraces Eilish’s past struggles and insecurities with body image standards. After years of receiving negative comments, she has learnt to trust herself and her appearance, even though the hate can still be painful.

“People say I look happy
Just because I got skinny
But the old me is still me and maybe the real me
And I think she’s pretty”

Lead single Lunch follows the explicit desire behind Eilish’s crush. Plot twist, it is about a girl! “This song was actually part of what helped me become who I am, to be real,” Eilish said in her interview with Rolling Stone. This song explores her sexuality even further, following her official coming out in a Variety interview last year. Eilish originally did not plan on ever talking about her sexuality, but she decided it was best for her to decide her own labels, rather than countless speculations from the public ever since that Variety interview. I would say this song is one of the biggest moves she has made in her career, and I am so happy for her.

Chihiro, named after the protagonist of one of Studio Ghibli’s finest films, Spirited Away, makes many direct references to the actual anime. Lyrics of the song relate to themes of loss, battling with the unknown, and the ever-changing nature of relationships – all underlying connotations of Chihiro’s character arc. In a 2019 interview with Noisey, Eilish discussed the significance of Spirited Away to her and how the artistic direction of When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was actually influenced by the movie and Chihiro’s journey. It is nice to see a song dedicated to her love for this anime, which also ties back to her debut album.

“Saw your seat at the counter when I looked away
Saw you turn around, but it wasn’t your face
Said, “I need to be alone now, I’m takin’ a break”
How come when I returned, you were gone away?”

Chihiro, the resilient main character of Spirited Away, who did whatever it takes to transform her parents, who have turned into pigs, back into humans. Photo taken from Maison Ghibli

It was surprising, to say the least, when I first heard a short snippet of Birds Of A Feather before its official release, in the latest trailer for Netflix’s hit show Heartstopper. I envisioned it was going to blow up and it did not disappoint. This track about a love that will last a lifetime, even after death, was heavily used on TikTok and ranked No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Moving on to the two longest tracks on the album. L’amour De Ma Vie, which means “the love of my life” in French, reflects on a past relationship marked by emotional turmoil. This heartbreak of a song which runs for over five minutes was sung in a nonchalant tone, suggesting relief and satisfaction at the end of the relationship. Fans are also hoping for the possibility of a French version of the song. We can only wait and see. 

The last and longest song, Blue, was a perfect bittersweet end to the album. If you did not know, Blue is actually a rework of an unreleased leaked song, “True Blue”, written all the way back in 2016. The track was then brought back to life and mashed up with another discarded song, this time from her Happier Than Ever era. The song was called, “Born Blue”. As the colour blue is often associated with melancholy, the song describes her emotional state, as well as her internal conflicts, dealing with her struggles to live a simple life amidst complications with past relationships. The song mirrors her state of acceptance during this calm phase of her life. Blue also serves as a fitting conclusion, incorporating references to every track on the album with clever lyrics that connect throughout the entire tracklist.

The lyrical genius of Blue serves as a final affirmation for Eilish, wrapping up the album.

For fans, Hit Me Hard and Soft provides a much-needed sense of closure, and we could not be happier for our favourite complex artist. The profound messages behind each song, along with the album’s overall backstory, make this THE Billie Eilish album. I cannot wait to see what she has planned for us next. 

RATING: 9.5/10 

REPLAY: REPLAY, CHIHIRO, WILDFLOWER, THE GREATEST, L’AMOUR DE MA VIE, BLUE

IT’S OK: LUNCH, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, BITTERSUITE

SKIP: THE DINER