Review

Billie Eilish embraces her true self on new album Hit Me Hard and Soft

Enigmatic singer-songwriter, Billie Eilish, revealed a new side of herself on the May 21st episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. During the interview, she discussed her just-released third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, describing it as her most genuine work to date. 

“It’s the first time in my adult and creative life that I’ve made something truly authentic,” Eilish said. “This album feels entirely like me—the music, the visuals—it’s all who I am, and that’s both exhilarating and terrifying.”

Eilish reflected on the vulnerability required to reveal her true self. She elaborated on a recent Rolling Stone interview where she mentioned feeling like she had been playing a character. 

After releasing her first songs as a very young teenager, Eilish felt constrained by audience expectations, which left her little room for creative exploration.

Discussing her previous album, Happier Than Ever (2021), Eilish described it as a rebellious declaration of independence. “I wanted to prove a point and show that I’m not what people think I am,” she explained. 

Eilish also shared a behind-the-scenes story about the cover shoot for her new album. The day after the Grammys, she drove to Santa Clarita to spend six hours in a 3-meter (10-foot) deep water tank, fully clothed. “I had a weight strapped to me,” she said, emphasising her commitment to her artistic vision.

As for her performance that night, Eilish revealed with a blush that she would be singing “Lunch,” closing the show with her brother and producer, Finneas, and her band. 

Hit Me Hard and Soft features ten original, genre-defying tracks. Eilish considers it a “family of songs,” ideally intended to be listened to from beginning to end. Rolling Stone hails it as her “best album yet.”

What makes the album release even cooler is that the physical formats are made from 100% recyclable materials as part of Eilish’s continued effort to minimise waste and combat climate change. Listen to the full album below.