By Nayria Figueroa Colon
Music has the ability to make you feel and see things you have never experienced. It doesn’t matter what genre or what artist you are listening to; you can always travel to different worlds and meet sonic exploration.
On May 17, 2024, Billie Eilish released her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. The album has introduced a new sense in music. It brings the ideal rhythm and lyrics, that are easily bonded sonically, which take listeners to another universe. The 12-track record has gentle melodies and a vulnerable softness that contrasts with intense soundscapes, that meets with the hardness of resilience.
Each track contrasts from the other, but all blend beautifully. Through the sounds of Eilish’s “soft” but “haunting” vocals, she can grasp onto any listener. There are moments where there are very intimate moments as Eilish delivers poignant lyrics, and on the other hand, she has the ability to deliver infectious, high energy beats that sets her apart from other artists.
Pitchfork’s review on the album let listeners dive in deeper into a very complex, but also very understanding topic: “Thematically, HMHAS focuses mostly on falling out of love with a narcissist; and falling in love with a woman for the first time.” The album demonstrates Eilish in a mature light that can only be understood by listening to each song in order, as they all tell a story and take you through Eilish’s life.
The opening track, “Skinny,” gives a glimpse into the difficulties of fame and image. On the album, she can talk about it on her own terms, as if the media never looked at it from a different point of view. Body image and beauty are the center of this song.
“Lunch” gives a glimpse into Eilish’s fantasies. The song is the first where Eilish expresses her attraction to women. Taken aback by the addictive beat and club-pop feel, the song was an instant hit. As stated by Billboard, she shares the song “freely and joyously.”
“Chihiro,” named after Spirited Away’s character, displays a video-game sound as we are taken by a song full of bass, as well as feeling of an otherworldly image. The song is groovy and makes you move every second.
“Birds of a Feather” has the grooviest beat of the album. The song deals with the topic of friendship and being there for each other at all times. Sonically, the song meshes every aspect of pop and lyricism.
“Wildflower” is the best song on the album! The song describes thinking about your partner’s ex the whole time you’re in a relationship with them. The song takes every listener on a roller coaster of emotions, that if you can imagine, has twists and turns. Through every lyric, we understand a story that not only is personal to Eilish but is also private information that has become public but on Eilish’s own terms.
“The Greatest” is the downside of a relationship that she hoped would be 50/50, but that was not the case for Eilish. She describes how she always gives and how her partner always takes, and how she always gave it her all and her partner never did. The downsides of relationships show through this song.
“L’amour de ma vie” explains that her partner thought that he was the one love of her life, but they weren’t Eilish’s love for life. The song brings melodic heartbreak and also hope for a sense of strength. The deep vocals by Eilish represent her maturity as well as the production’s sense of being.
“The Diner” brings a unique twist on production and lyricism to Eilish’s album. The song’s meaning is also very deep as it brings the perspective of a stalker. Being a celebrity has its downsides, as Eilish describes in this song. Eilish has had many stalkers, so she brings to light all of her experiences in one masterpiece.
“Bittersuite” is a distant reminder of missing something. As said by Genius, “The song finds Eilish feeling as if she’s distant from her own desires and emotions while idealizing a relationship in her dreams.”
“Blue” is the last track of the album. It is a mashup of released tracks written by Eilish and her brother Finneas. The first half takes lyrics from the album and puts them all together in one; the second half covers “somebody who grew up in a cold-shouldered family and their personality now that they’ve grown up.”
Through Eilish’s journey of melodies and sonically inspiring lyrics and production, she has brought out a new, unimaginable world to the music industry. Eilish has proved that she is an artist who will go to the highest limits to make music like no other. Not one artist can be as unique as Eilish and her brother Finneas are. Both bring a new distinctive image on music and being artists.