Billie Eilish has announced her new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which will be released on Friday, May 17. Although artists often let fans stream a single or two before a new record comes out, shortly after announcing the project, Eilish confirmed that she will not be dropping any of the tracks before the album release date.

This decision was revealed in an Instagram post as part of Eilish’s announcement on April 8, which read, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,’ MY THIRD ALBUMMMMMMMMMMMMM COMES OUT MAY 17THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHH.”

The Grammy award-winning musician added: “Not doing singles i wanna give it to you all at once.”

The post included the cover art of the new record, showing Billie Eilish underwater with an open door above her. Additionally, the singer’s website suggests that each track on the third album should be played chronologically, so it effectively “hits you hard and soft both lyrically and sonically, while bending genres and defying trends along the way”.

Her announcement came one day after she posted a short video which featured the first snippet of a song on the upcoming album. The video received over 132 million views during the first 24 hours of posting.

 

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A post shared by BILLIE EILISH (@billieeilish)

Alongside these posts, Billie employed a creative marketing tactic to promote the new project by adding all of her 114 million Instagram followers to her close friends list on Instagram. Many fans noted this addition with excitement, with one commenting: “Not a big deal but I’m on her close friends”

Hit Me Hard and Soft will be Eilish’s third album, following her 2021 release Happier Than Ever and her 2019 debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Eilish has released music since her 2021 album, including her most recently released track ‘What Was I Made For?’ which was featured in the Barbie movie.

Last month, at the age of 22, Billie won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the masterpiece, making her the youngest person in history to win two Oscars, having also won in 2022 for her James Bond theme ‘No Time to Die’. ‘What Was I Made For?’ also won Song of the Year at the 2024 Grammys.

During her Oscar acceptance speech, she thanked director Greta Gerwig saying, “this goes out to everyone who was affected by the movie and how incredible it is.”

She also gained attention at the Oscars for wearing an Artists for Ceasefire pin, representing the “collective support for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all of the hostages and for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.”

Billie Eilish has 2 Oscars and 9 Grammys? and She just turned 22, Legit icon status already??.
I really love this one from her “What was I made for” I am sure if watched Barbie, this song had its own impact which was massive,
I had tears in my eyes. #BillieEilish pic.twitter.com/IKk6OIso5S

— Anica Hasanat (@AnicaHasanat) April 2, 2024

Billie Eilish has been a longtime LGBTQ+ ally, and after years of choosing to keep her sexuality private, she casually mentioned that she is “physically attracted” to women in a Variety interview in November 2023.

She said: “I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real,” before adding: “But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”After alluding to her queer identity for years, fans were delighted over this official reveal.

The new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, written by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell, will be available on May 17.