Since her debut a few years ago, Billie Eilish has captivated the music world. And if her recent concert at the United Center in Chicago is any indication, the 22-year-old phenom is only getting stronger and more confident with each passing year.
Appearing at the first of a two-night stand in the Windy City, Eilish bore the collective weight of a capacity arena crowd and took them under her wing, delivering a stimulating concert that managed visceral intimacy despite the cavernous surroundings.
Coming across as an entirely different artist than the uneven performer who headlined Lollapalooza in August 2023, Eilish beamed with maturity, confidence, and purpose. She wisely exchanged the pre-recorded instrumental approach of the previous show for a six-piece band that included two backing vocalists. In choosing to largely avoid snippets and opting to play complete songs, the young star demonstrated a knack for pacing, narrative, and motion.
Eilish looked ready for the moment, wearing a football jersey, baggy shorts, silver necklaces, and a dangling dog tag for the duration. She made the most of the opportunity to connect, turning the 100-minute production into a collective experience. To her credit, Eilish sang without any apparent technical aid, with a delivery that magnified the significance of her words.
Maybe it’s her personality, but Eilish either can’t or won’t hold still. Since her last visit to Chicago approximately 16 months ago, the singer-songwriter has amassed a second Academy Award, added two more Grammys to her collection, and released her third full-length album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” which has recently received nominations for seven more Grammys. It’s just another year in the life of one of today’s most fervently followed influencers.
Another trait that hasn’t changed? Her championing of environmental issues. At the United Center, Eco-Village locations promoted sustainability and climate action. Messaging surrounding the tour encourages fans to opt for public transportation, bring reusable water bottles to shows, adopt plant-based diets, and wear thrifted or borrowed clothes rather than shop for new outfits.
On Wednesday, one of the new album’s songs, the bounding “Lunch,” found Eilish the recipient of several undergarments that fans tossed in her direction. The scene challenged the long-standing tradition of women doing the same for male rock stars. Eilish probably sensed it. And so she carried her surprise gifts around on her wrist as she skipped to the beat, fantasizing about a steamy encounter with another woman.
Eilish’s sensitive singing, demonstrative physical antics, and restructuring of music, which on record can sound overly minimalist, seamlessly blend with her bold turns on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and keyboards. Her burgeoning capacity as a vessel for those often marginalized, manipulated, or mistreated in various ways was evident.
Though she indirectly mentioned her dismay at the results of the national election, Eilish stammered and decided to swallow her thoughts at a critical point in the concert. However sincere, the singer’s declaration that fans occupied a safe space at her shows—as well as her remarks about continuing to fight on their behalf—assumed the form of benevolent bromides.
Yet Eilish, whose recurrent smile injected a joyousness on par with that of her knee-bent hops during a handful of aggressive cuts, refused to allow anguish to win. She served vengeance on an ex with a side of biting humor during an expanded, celebratory interpretation of the cabaret-leaning “L’Amour de Ma Vie.” During a powerful performance of “Happier Than Ever,” she took charge of a previously volatile situation and passionately sang the majority of the lyrics.
Thousands of other female voices, likely having endured similar painful and humiliating experiences, joined Eilish in an intense, inspiring, and unified wave. The unstoppable sound of a gender, a class, and a movement refuses to accept the status quo.