On May 17, 2024, Billie Eilish released her anticipated album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.” The title displays the oxymoron love brings as Eilish expresses her sexuality through multiple soft pop ballads. The cover art, a photograph of the artist sinking underwater, resonates with the feeling of one drowning in their emotions.
SKINNY
The album kicks off with the track ‘SKINNY,’ a deeply personal song that delves into Eilish’s feelings about her recent weight loss. The lyrics, ‘People say I look happy just because I got skinny. But the old me is still me,’ resonates with anyone who has experienced a significant change in their appearance.
This song serves as a powerful introduction to Eilish’s experiences in her early 20s, with lines like ’21 took a lifetime’ and ‘And I still cry’ capturing the universal struggles of early adulthood.
LUNCH
In a smooth transition, the next track, “LUNCH,” has a fun bass line outlining the story of Eilish’s first relationship with a woman. The song’s lyrics describe her emotional and intimate desires during a lesbian relationship. A track full of pride that is easily a fan favorite.
CHIHIRO
While “LUNCH” focuses on romantic desire, the proceeding track, “CHIHIRO,” establishes heartbreak, especially with the line “Did you take my love away from me?” A question one typically asks after a failed relationship.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER and WILDFLOWER
The middle of the album has a variety of tracks shifting between love and heartbreak. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” illustrates unbreakable friendships. The track provides an excellent juxtaposition to “WILDFLOWER,” which displays Eilish’s insecurity about never living up to their partner’s ex.
THE GREATEST
As the frustrations build between the two songs, the track “THE GREATEST” portrays the downfall of how insecurity overwhelms the mind. Like her track “Happier Than Ever,” Eilish starts with soft vocals but breaks into an instrumental solo. The song fully depicts how unrequited love breaks a person despite positive affirmations of being “the greatest.”
L’AMOUR DE MA VIE
After an intense track, “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE,” which translates to “Love of my life,” conveys Eilish breaking someone’s heart by an inability to truly love. She then establishes the theme of being unable to fall in love in the following two songs, “THE DINER” and “BITTERSUITE.”
BLUE
The album reaches its poignant conclusion” with”the track ‘BLUE,’ a fitting emotional journey of heartbreak, love, and sorrow that Eilish has shared with her listeners. The song beautifully captures a difficult relationship and the realization that one can not change another person’s desires or actions. The color blue, symbolizing Eilish’s sadness, is a testament to her ability to find peace in her sorrows through her music.
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