Claire Flury, 27
"Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour" is Billie Eilish's seventh concert tour, promoting her third studio album, "Hit Me Hard and Soft," released in 2024. The album means ‘It’s an impossible request.’ Billie states that she never thought this would be the life she was living, but she is forever thankful for it. The tour was officially announced on April 29, 2024, and kicked off on September 29, 2024, at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. A concluding performance is scheduled for July 27, 2025, in Dublin.
Eilish unveiled her third studio album on April 8, 2024. Shortly before its release, she shared the tour dates on April 29. This announcement was accompanied by a trailer on her official YouTube channel, featuring highlights from her past performances and a glimpse of her new song "Lunch," which had been teased earlier during the Coachella Festival. The tour includes 81 dates across North America, Oceania, and Europe. On September 30, Billie added two more shows in Inglewood for December 20 and 21 at the Kia Forum, bringing her total for that venue to five shows.
Eilish recently played at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 6th. Following this performance, minor changes were made to the show due to the election results. Instead of playing “SKINNY,” she played “Your Power.” Billis said, “It’s about taking that power back, showing it off, and not taking advantage of it,” she expressed. “I’m not letting myself be owned anymore.” She felt women all around had to know that even though they were going through new changes, nobody was alone. Another change to the setlist was a cover of “Yesterday” by the Beatles. This symbolized how she felt that her whole world changed after President Trump was elected. Billie wanted to make sure women felt seen and knew she had their back.
The tour so far has been a smashing success. The prices of concert tickets are surprisingly low, considering how often she has sold our arenas. Prices start at $150 but range anywhere from $150 to 1900. Critique Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times complimented Billie’s ability to bring the lovingness of her songs to the stage, noting Billie “suddenly transforming acoustic numbers into arena-rocking power ballads and playing the adoring audience like a well-tuned instrument.” Melissa Ruggieri of USA TODAY said, “There is no artifice to her. No questioning her level of sincerity when she tells fans at the end of the show, ‘I will always cherish you … I will always fight for you’”.