What If HIT ME HARD AND SOFT Billie Eilish Had ‘LUNCH’ With Her Former Eras?

An eight-legged tarantula, presumably Barbie-stylized cookies decorated like old archival tracksuits and a devouring-worthy crush. What do they all have in common? They were once Billie Eilish’s lunch. And we don’t mean ‘LUNCH,’ singular quotation marks hunched around the #1 most streamed song globally across both Spotify and Apple Music (though the last food item technically has something to do with it!) But pick up a fork from the dining room table until each chew is so loud that every surrounding member, or er, era, hears.

Suppose you’re onto the menu next. In that case, we’re talking about the meals selected by Billie’s various eras! This food metaphor starts from one of the first vertical videos for ‘you should see me in a crown,’ the furry creature crawling inside her mouth, to now with HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. While one would guess that’s what the spider would do, the three-song titles theming food make us wonder if we’re listening to her third studio album. Or if we’re simply hanging out at ‘THE DINER.’ It’s a profoundly blue-tinged restaurant where it’s common to hear the camera flashes from your celebrity-obsessed stalker. This evolution in her music is truly inspiring. 

Having ‘LUNCH’ At ‘THE DINER’

This isn’t the only nostalgic tie-in to “back-cataloging” (we’re now stealing not snacks, but words from FINNEAS’s mouth)! There are various times during his and Billie’s hour-long chat with Zane Lowe when they have to travel back to dish out the themes of HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. They discuss their feelings during the various writing periods and how certain songs can sound like previous ones, such as ‘Bad Guy’ making a reprise in ‘LUNCH.’ Even about how Billie has arrived here through all of it, to the most “me thing I’ve ever made.” AKA the latest record, which we can’t help but chow down on ourselves. It has also been added to the international menu as it’s hit number one in 14 countries thus far?!

The imagery we’ve cooked up of Billie eras as personified characters eating their respective dishes is too fun not to examine further! Naturally, we’re doing precisely that. What would happen if they were in ‘THE DINER’ together? Would they do what we do and share each other’s plates? What would be their social commentary on the latest album? Are there tie-ins to the messages on the latest that were reinforced or even vastly different from what she once said? The waiter just came around and took their orders. So, we’re serving their possible perspectives on silver platters! 

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

Well and also, becoming successful at 14 meant that music, which was for my whole childhood and all my preteen years before anything, was something that I loved so much and enjoyed thoroughly. And my friends that would sing, we would sing together and we would harmonize and do covers of stuff and record it. And I got so much joy out of that. And then it became my job and I kind of lost all my friends and I hated working with all these grown men when I was 14, 15. Those were not fun.

Billie Eilish for Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1

With silky, cobalt hair that sticks to one’s forehead from being so straight and a recurring theme of referencing spirits, this era knows she’s trouble. That doesn’t stop her from downing the ‘when the party’s over’s black liquid between bites of her tarantula. It still leaks out of her eyes as she sparingly throws eye-rolls at Happier Than Ever. She’s far too blonde and girly. At least, that’s her musing! One made while running her fingers across the fabric of her baggy jumper and sleeveless arm gloves. It’s a stark difference from the peach corset dress adorning the opposite of her, impressing every curve. Even if it’s on the down low, she finds it cool that the other escaped a snake attack during ‘Your Power.’

Forever the ‘bad guy,’ she’ll speak on top of the two other eras when she deems fit to switch to her chosen HIT ME HARD AND SOFT commentary. Who says she can’t be vengeful and deep? She’ll voice the distinct parallel between ‘SKINNY’ and ‘​all the good girls go to hell.’ The latter sits as the fifth track on her record. Both of these tracks, on some level, whether personal or to the larger, express societal expectations. 

‘SKINNY’ touches on how Billie feels. Notably, just because her body shape changed doesn’t mean her mental health around fame did. She spends most of this song in overthinking mode, relying on others to define her. However, there is a standout lyric! One that not only this particular era of Billie would be proud of her saying but it also claws back her power: “But the old me is still me and maybe the real me / And I think she’s pretty.”

Meanwhile, ‘all the good girls go to hell’ touches on the societal pressure to appear flashy, take extravagant trips, succumb to fast fashion, etc. The lyric “You know I’m not your friend without some greenery” sounds off in our heads here! Even if it means killing the earth simultaneously. The pre-chorus mentioned the California wildfires in 2018 and how global warming goes ignored.

Happier Than Ever

As much as Happier Than Ever was coming from this place of like, “We’re so good. This sounds so good. We are so good,” it was also, at least for me, not knowing at all who I was. And what’s interesting is Hit Me Hard and Soft is almost the reverse of that, where we were making it and it was like… We were like this the whole time like, “I don’t know if I’m making anything good. This might be terrible.” And then now when I think about it, I’m like, “Yeah, but I’m comfortable in who I am now.”

Billie Eilish for Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1

With recently dyed blonde hair twisted into a ponytail and feathered bangs shaping her face, Happier Than Ever wouldn’t even notice the eye-rolls sent her way. She’s too transfixed by how specific life experiences still stay around. It’s almost like some ghost her younger sister always goes on about. So there’s a softer expression on her features, taken by HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. There’s no advice to spout, for she’s just the middle child, but there is a bitter understanding. 

She’ll wait her turn, and once there’s a lull in the conversation, she’ll bring up ‘THE DINER.’ With its tango-like string quartet opening, it talks of an obsessive stalker having taken a very dangerous liking to Billie. Interestingly, a number is uttered during the outro of the song. This same number has been used to promote the album. It’s found on her website, and when rung, a voicemail says, “Hello, hello? Wait, I can’t hear you… Hello, hello? Hold on, let me call you back..” Even more so, it serves as a meta-like examination of parasocial relationships upon saving Billie as a contact in WhatsApp! Once the number is registered, an automated Billie will get her thumbs twiddling to send you messages. All you have to do is fill in a questionnaire. This is such a genius spin on ‘THE DINER’ and its message.

However, there’s something even more concerning for Happier Than Ever. Her record has two tracks that allude to stalkers: ‘Getting Older’ and ‘NDA.’ From the jump on the former, there’s the line, “But it’s different when a stranger’s always waitin’ at your door / Which is ironic ’cause the strangers seem to want me more.” We’ve all been in situations where the people we want to care for aren’t there, but those we don’t want there do care. On the scale of being famous, this is alarming. It can play to one’s psyche, questioning why those who are deranged can latch onto them. Yet they aren’t deserving of those who should be considered safe. Whereas ‘NDA’ talks about how isolating her life feels since she has to be careful about who she lets in. The symbolism of an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement, sparks that solitude.

Footing The Bill

Now that you’ve gotten a snapshot at a dysfunctional ‘LUNCH’ between the various eras of Billie Eilish, perhaps you should pull up a chair? WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? will pass over a tarantula leg. Yum! At least Happier Than Ever will offer up a sympathetic smile shortly after.

Which Billie do you most want to dine with? If you feel daring enough to answer, tweet us on our Twitter/X @thehoneypop. If you need more time to decide, boost those streaming numbers for her latest album (not that she needs the help, as it’s already at 500 million global streams!) or check in with her full Zane Lowe interview, including the older ones!

Thank you, guys, so much for all of your support on this album. This week has been so surreal and insane, and we truly could not be more overwhelmed with joy. Love you all until we die. Thank you for everything. Forever.

Billie Eilish & Finneas in a press release

Can’t satisfy your cravings? Here’s the link for Billie’s tag, chockablock full of articles, with some having featured on our Instagram and Facebook pages! Look out for even more pieces as the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR gears up! The most likely sibling duo will be heading across America this year and Europe and Australia in 2025.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BILLIE EILISH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FINNEAS:
INSTAGRAM | KOMI | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE