Review: Billie Eilish Unleashes her HIT ME HARD AND SOFT TOUR in Vancouver

Ever since breaking into the music scene in 2015, Billie Eilish has become somewhat of a household name. Hitting commercial success with her debut single, “Ocean Eyes,” Eilish has taken the industry by storm with a discography of songs sporting catchy beats and meaningful lyrics. Known for her creative musical partnership with her brother, singer-songwriter Finneas, the duo have created several hits in the realms of pop, alt-pop, electropop, and pop rock music that have dominated the music scene in the last few years. 

Eilish’s debut studio album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” released in 2019 became one of the biggest and best selling albums of that year topping the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Featuring the incredibly catchy electropop single, “Bad Guy,” the album set the tone for Eilish’s future successes and accomplishments. In addition to her second incredibly successful second studio album, “Happier Than Ever” released in 2021, Eilish also co-wrote (with Finneas) and performed songs for two major films that cemented the creative duo’s place high in the songwriting industry. Eilish’s songs “No Time To Die” from the James Bond film of the same name and “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie movie earned the duo two Academy Award wins for “Best Original Song” in 2022 and 2024. 

Photo Credit: Henry Hwu

Earlier this year, Eilish released her 3rd studio album entitled, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” featuring the hit singles, “Lunch” and “Birds of a Feather.” Topping the charts in over 20 countries with its debut, with all 10 tracks charting in the Billboard 100, the album was well received and has even earned Eilish seven nominations at next year’s 67th Grammy Awards ceremony. 

Supporting this latest album, Billie Eilish’s latest (and seventh) headlining concert tour of the same name, the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR began in September of this year and will include a total of 83 shows across North America, Oceania, and Europe moving into 2025. The tour began in September and played its show in Vancouver, BC Canada on December 3rd, 2024 to a sold out crowd at Rogers Arena. Previously visiting Vancouver in 2019 for her “When We All Fall Asleep” tour, 2020 for her “Where Do We Go” tour, and 2022 for her “Happier Than Ever” tour, there was no doubt that this current Vancouver show was her best one yet. 

Photo Credit: Henry Hwu

Los Angeles-based indie pop band, The Marías were Eilish’s opening act for the show. The 4-piece band is composed of María Zardoya (lead vocalist), Josh Conway (drummer), Jesse Perlman (guitarist), and Edward James (keyboardist). Embracing the alternative indie genre, the band has released a total of two extended plays and two studio albums featuring songs in both English and Spanish. The Marías played an hour-long set to open the show beginning with their debut single “Only in My Dreams” and ending with their song, “Cariño.” With their rising popularity and refreshing stage presence, they were the perfect opener to capture audience interest, setting the tone and rising energy levels for the main show to come. 

The HIT ME HARD AND SOFT TOUR Vancouver setlist was similar to those of previous shows featuring 22 of Billie Eilish’s songs past and present with emphasis on the newly released album from this year. Beginning the show with “CHIHIRO” from her new album, Eilish rose up to the stage on a central platform surrounded by translucent image projections after a very suspenseful and exciting instrumental intro. Right off the bat, it was evident that a very dedicated and hardcore fan base comprised most of the audience. The voices of the audience singing along to the song could be heard over both Eilish and her live band, reinforcing the impact and popularity of her music. 

Photo Credit: Henry Hwu

Moving along to one of Eilish’s most beloved (and catchy) songs off the “Hit Me Hard And Soft” album was “LUNCH” shortly after. The recognizable drum beat with the funky bass progression was enough to get the audience jumping with excitement as Eilish uttered the first lyrics of the song, “I could eat that girl for lunch … yeah she dances on my tongue, tastes like she might be the one.” The energy was so electric for that song that it was obvious that Eilish could feel it too as she danced along while connecting with fans both near and far from her. 

One of the most intriguing things about the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT TOUR was the central staging. Differing from the “Happier Than Ever” tour in 2022, there was no backdrop this time around allowing fans to surround the stage from all angles. With occasional projections on a moving 360 degree square projection in the middle of the stage with a 360 degree stationary video screen just above, fans were able to get a glimpse of Eilish from all angles as she made her way to various areas. While Eilish did an outstanding job keeping excitement and energy levels high by moving across the 360 degree stage, she also spent prolonged amounts of time in each area ensuring no side was favoured more than another. Between songs, Eilish took a few brief moments to talk to the audience. A memorable moment was the story of one of her past trips to Vancouver when she was a teenager. Visiting for a choir tour, Eilish reminisced about how beautiful the city was and how crazy it was to be back again, now performing a headlining tour here. 

Photo Credit: Henry Hwu

Overall, the 22 song setlist was an excellent combination of Eilish’s upbeat, stripped down, and most popular songs. The more popular songs such as “Therefore I Am,” “Bad Guy,” “What Was I Made For?” and “Birds of a Feather,” were obvious crowd favorites judging by the amount of audience members singing along. Arguably, some of Eilish’s most passionate and quality performances were in her more stripped down slower songs such as “The Greatest” that really emphasized the strength of her vocals and quality of performance. Perhaps one of the most breathtaking moments was hearing her live vocals looped amid a silent audience for “when the party’s over.” The slower, more passionate moments of the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT TOUR were undeniably captivating, leaving no doubt that every penny spent on the concert was absolutely worth it.

Photo Credit: Henry Hwu

Although Eilish did not make any outfit changes; sticking to an iconic baggy clothing look throughout the entire concert set, this aspect reinforced the importance and value in the music and her connection with the audience. Of course the tour made use of high quality lighting, artsy projections, and some occasional pyrotechnics; however, the quality and dedication of Eilish’s vocals and her overall stage presence was the aspect of the show that made this concert one of the best Vancouver has seen this year. Overall, the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT tour was nothing short of spectacular. Filled with an incredible balance of  both upbeat energy and passionate vocals, Eilish put on a show that will not be forgotten. 

Billie Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR will play a total of 83 shows across North America, Oceania, and Europe for the rest of 2024 and into 2025. The tour will play at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on December 6th before moving to Moda Center in Portland on December 8th. All stops for the tour are currently sold out; however, visit the link below for more information about her upcoming shows and to join the waitlists. 

Top Photo Credit: Henry Hwu 

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