Whenever I’m asked my thoughts on a show I’ve covered, I’ll admit that nine times out of 10, I’ll dive straight into ‘production talk’. However, when it came to Billie Eilish, my predominant memory was the sheer control that the 23-year-old singer exerted over her audience. Her mere presence on the stage, sometimes without even uttering a word, was enough to enrapture her fans. Few singers would be able to silence The O2 like she did when performing an a capella looped vocal for her song When the Party’s Over. What was evident from this show was how Billie was placed at the centre of the production with a fully automated set that metamorphosed with moving LED screens, lighting towers and a cinematic live video capture that only worked to enhance the artist’s ability to keep the crowd in the palm of her hand.
Having caught the show on the opening night of the run of six performances in the capital, the next day I headed to meet up with the production to learn the inner workings of the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR.
Words: Stew Hume
Photos: Henry Hwu
