Pop star Billie Eilish to release third studio album on May 17
The wait is over for Billie Eilish fans. The American pop star announced via Instagram on April 8 that her third album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, will be out on May 17.
The 22-year-old Grammy winner also unveiled the cover artwork, which depicted the singer-songwriter floating underwater near an open door.
Described as her most daring album to date, Hit Me Hard And Soft is meant to be listened all the way through as a cohesive body of work. Thus, Eilish will not drop singles ahead of the release.
“So crazy to be writing this right now... I want to give it to you all at once,” she wrote in the caption. “Finneas and I truly could not be more proud of this album, and we absolutely can’t wait for you to hear it.”
The 10-track album, like her previous releases – 2019’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and 2021’s Happier Than Ever – was written by Eilish and Finneas, her brother and musical collaborator, who also produced the album.
It will be available on all digital platforms. Reflecting Eilish’s recent comments about the environmental wastefulness of physical products such as vinyl, the physical album will be available in limited variants on release day and made of recyclable materials.
In an interview with Billboard published on March 28, Eilish told the American music publication that she felt irritated by the pressure some musicians had to “make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging” in an effort to generate higher sales figures.
“I find it really frustrating as somebody who really goes out of my way to be sustainable and do the best that I can and try to involve everybody in my team in being sustainable – and then it’s some of the biggest artistes in the world making 40 different vinyl packages that have a different unique thing just to get you to keep buying more,” said Eilish.
While she did not name any of her colleagues, netizens jumped to the conclusion that Eilish was talking about American superstar Taylor Swift, whose album Midnights (2022) had at least four vinyl editions.
Eilish subsequently clarified on Instagram Stories that her remarks were not directed at any specific musicians.
“It would be so awesome if people would stop putting words into my mouth and actually read what I said in that Billboard article,” wrote the nine-time Grammy winner. “I wasn’t singling anyone out, these are industry-wide systemic issues.”
Eilish contributed to the Barbie soundtrack with What Was I Made For?, which became a huge hit. The ballad went on to win Song of the Year at the 2024 Grammys.
The number was also named Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, making her the youngest person to win two Oscars in the category. Eilish and Finneas first won this accolade in 2021 for the James Bond theme No Time To Die.
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