“The Greatest” Moments From Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard And Soft Tour
The singer is playing her most dynamic show to date.
Billie Eilish is at peak Billie Eilish right now. The singer kicked off her HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: The Tour (yes, in all caps) on Sept. 29, in support of her critically acclaimed third studio album. Notably, it’s her first trek without brother and collaborator Finneas by her side, and yet, it’s still the most eye-popping and authentically Billie show she’s ever put on.
At her three-night stand at New York City’s Madison Square Garden in October, which I got to attend with American Express, Eilish proved she’s expanded her showmanship since her early days in music. She now employs a full band, playing many of the instruments herself, and performs in-the-round, surrounded by screaming fans in all directions. Eilish’s eye-popping visuals — including real fire and self-recorded camera work — feel more immersive than ever, and she’s able to feed off the crowd’s energy without sacrificing musicianship.
Unlike most tours that instantly go TikTok-viral for their dazzling spectacle and cheeky moments (thank you, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter), Eilish has managed to keep the sell-out tour mostly under wraps, aside from her curated social media slideshow posted days after each show. In case you haven’t seen the show live yet, here are the moments you won’t want to miss.
Billie’s “When The Party’s Over” Harmonizing
In one of the most viral numbers of the tour, Eilish actually makes the crowd shush (not unlike Lorde) so she can record the haunting choral harmonies of her 2019 hit “when the party’s over” live, à la Ed Sheeran. The complete silence allows for the most spiritual and intimate moment of the show (yes, the crowd starts screaming again the second it’s over).
The Club Section(s)
With each album, Eilish has gotten a little more clubby, from the inventive “bad guy” drop to the soaring bass of “Oxytocin” on Happier Than Ever. So it was an absolute treat when Eilish turned Madison Square Garden into a nightclub, with the booming “Oxytocin” transitioning into her Charli XCX collab “Guess” with lasers, flames, and sweat aplenty. Later on, she soars above the audience and captures the vibe of a rave for “OVER NOW.”
Playing Three Instruments
For the first time on tour, Eilish played not just one, but three musical instruments on stage, proving her multi-faceted talent. She first picks up a guitar during the acoustic section to belt out the stunning “Male Fantasy.” Later on, she gets behind a keyboard for a medley of Don’t Smile At Me tracks, before playing the electric guitar for “Happier Than Ever.”
The Finneas Guest Appearance
At the first Madison Square Garden show, Finneas sat in the MSG stands (in the row behind me) and watched proudly as his sister dominated the stage on her own. However, he couldn’t help but join the fun for the final two songs, “Happier Than Ever” and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” making for a nice full-circle moment that proved Finneas and Eilish are still music’s most dynamic duo.
