Pop superstar Billie Eilish has returned to the limelight once again with the release of her third studio album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. The record follows 2021’s Happier Than Ever and her Grammy award-winning single “What Was I Made For” from 2023’s Barbie film as Billie continues to dominate mainstream pop with her signature, but ever-evolving, sound.
Billie announced HIT ME HARD AND SOFT on April 8, just over a month before the record would be released on May 17. With no pre-release single, only a few small snippets surfaced to give the world even the slightest idea of what Billie had in store.
As the album neared its release date, Billie made a series of announcements. First, she would embark on a massive tour in support of the record. Starting in Toronto, Canada on September 29, the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT TOUR will go across North America, Australia, and Europe, ending on July 27, 2025 in Dublin, Ireland. Days before the album’s release, Billie Eilish held listening parties in New York and Los Angeles on May 15 and 16, where she played the record in full for an audience of fans.
As soon as the record was released, it was greeted by generally favorable reviews. Pitchfork’s 6.8/10 score stands in stark contrast to NME, The Guardian and The Rolling Stone’s ⅘ stars, and a few 5/5’s from outlets like The Telegraph and The Independent. Comments underneath Eilish’s post also reflect this nearly universal acclaim.
Alongside her new record, Billie released a a self-directed music video for “LUNCH”. The video is relatively simple, with Billie dancing and singing to the track in question in a series of 90s inspired outfits, such as retro-looking basketball jerseys. To add to this 90s flair, heavy use of a fisheye lens and filters make the video look grainy and low-fi as if it were filmed during the MTV era.
Billie Eilish’s new LP still has yet to debut on the Billboard 200, and only time can tell if HIT ME HARD AND SOFT will live up to or surpass the cultural impact of Billie’s discography so far.
Haven’t heard the album yet? Listen here.
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