Billie Eilish review – pop's sharpest commentator plays with fame's power dynamics
The challenge for Eilish's arena tours has always been to balance her talent for intimacy with her clear interest in spectacle. It's unfortunate but perhaps inevitable that the intricate production quirks of tracks such as Lunch and Wildflower get lost in the mix tonight, with just the drums pounding through, but she compensates with astute theatrics; at still just 23, Eilish offers some of pop's sharpest commentary on the push and pull of fame.
Seizing control of the big screens for her teen-villain breakthrough single Bad Guy, Eilish dodges the limelight of its infamous 'might seduce your dad' brag by turning a handheld camera first on her band and then on her screaming fans, focusing more on the song's reception than its delivery. The crowd is hitting serious decibels – running the risk of drowning out Eilish and band throughout – but still she goads them: 'Louder!'
She casually goes full superstar on Happier Than Ever, showcasing all she does best – a whispery intro, a bittersweet slow-build with lacy vocals, and a stormy, demolition-grade payoff – before a final whiplash in tone for closer Birds of a Feather, last year's omnipresent, soft-rock romance. Tonight, its frothy optimism is played up with stage projections of a sunny green field, and only a nod towards the nihilism: 'If I'm turnin' blue, please don't save me,' she breezes.
Yet still she paces the perimeter like a caged lion, staring out at a sea of frantic faces, obviously fascinated (and maybe even disturbed) by the power dynamics at play. Eilish is the rare pop star just as interested in watching her audience perform, and it feels both intimate and combative to be looked at like that.
Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft tour is in the UK and Ireland until 27 July
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
'Superman' brings a message of hope to a cynical world
Superman might do more than just save Metropolis — filmmaker James Gunn hopes the beloved superhero will bring hope to a cynical world. 'Everybody's gotten so cynical and ironic," said Gunn. 'Everybody's ironic about everything all the time. And he (Superman) is a good-natured guy who wants to be kind. And when you see the world through Superman's eyes, everyone is beautiful.' 'Superman,' which flies into theaters nationwide Thursday, is a bit of a change in tone for the writer and director who brought a mischievous playfulness and snark to the chaotic worlds of 'Suicide Squad' and the 'Guardians of the Galaxy.' But this wasn't some fringe misfit: It's Superman. And a certain amount of optimism was necessary. The Man of Steel has been a symbol since he first appeared in 1938 among the technicolor pages of Action Comics #1 as a baby from the planet Krypton sent to Earth as a last resort to save him from his planet's demise. In the 87 years since, various iterations of Superman have graced countless comic books, animated series and live-action television shows and films, many focusing on the hero's origin story. Through Gunn's lens, audiences meet a Superman three years into his self-appointed journey to save anyone in need of help. Superman has reached a point where he must confront what it means to do good and seek justice in a complicated world where many, especially the infamous Lex Luthor, question his intentions. 'We get to really discover what are his flaws, what are his opinions, what are his ideals. I think we get a very intimate look at his relationship with Lois. I also think that it's a bigger movie than it's ever been told with Superman before,' Gunn said. Gunn's vulnerable Superman is someone simply wanting to make the world a better place in an attempt to be accepted by his adopted homeland. He quickly learns that despite his super strength and metahuman abilities, he cannot do it all on his own. David Corenswet said in recent interviews that Gunn's first instructions to him were to 'work on his shoulders and his vulnerability.' Rather than transform into Superman, leaning into his own humanity and inner self is what led Corenswet to find the character. 'Any fantasy I had of transforming into this character sort of got dashed by James' desire, I think, for me to bring a little more of myself to the role,' Corenswet told The Associated Press. Meet the Justice Gang The themes resonated with many of the actors on and off screen. Actor Isabela Merced, who portrays Hawk Girl, says watching the film before its release gave her a sense of hope after a challenging week of consuming news stories. 'Perfect timing, I think. This film is speaking on history. I mean, you could apply this to many historical events, but I think it's really amazing. It's really amazing that this movie is coming out and has a great message behind it," Merced said. "I was really relieved when I watched it. I was having a terrible week, consuming way too much real media and watching this made me feel really light and happy and at least hopeful." While Edi Gathegi, who plays Mister Terrific, says the film is a 'meditation on the human spirit.' 'Whatever problem that you're going through, you can attack," Gathegi said. 'If it's a big societal issue or interpersonal issue, you have the power to deal with the problems that you can deal with.' Merced, Gathegi and Nathan Fillion, who plays Green Lantern Corp member Guy Gardner, round out the upcoming members of the Justice League, playfully referred to in the film as the Justice Gang. But don't hold on to that label; it's still a working title among the characters. Superman's acts of heroism are never isolated throughout the film. The Man of Steel is accompanied by his superdog Krypto, the Justice Gang, Metamorpho or Lois Lane and the team of journalists at the Daily Planet. Kent's job at the paper isn't just a title either: Journalism gets its own spotlight in the fabric of the film. Power of the Press Gunn doesn't just focus on Superman's humanity but highlights the importance of truth and the power of journalism to fight against injustice. 'James' intentional focus on the importance of journalism and journalistic integrity in this film is potentially more important now than it has been," Brosnahan said. 'One of the joys of stepping into this has been understanding in a deeper way what you all do and the ways in which you put yourselves on the line in pursuit of the truth, and it's been an honor to step into that.' Beck Bennett, who plays reporter Steve Lombard, says it was nice to see the Daily Planet journalists help the superhero go up against the villain. 'They are exposing some truth so that people can get the truth and turn on the person who is actually doing them harm," Bennett said. "It's really cool to see that. I think that could be exciting for younger people who might want to be journalists to be like, 'Wow, they do have this power. They are superheroes.'' Skyler Gisondo, who plays Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen and best friend to Clark Kent, says the scenes in the newsroom felt as high stakes as the action sequences. 'Reading the script, you have a sense that the work that we're doing is just as important as the action itself,' said Gisondo. One real journalist makes a cameo in the film: news correspondent Will Reeve, son of Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the 1978 film. Reeve said that the message of hope from the early film is one that still reigns true today from his father's legacy. 'The fact that my dad and his character and then his subsequent personal story resonated and perhaps inspired maybe billions of people around the world," Reeve said. "That means a lot to me, and I think that has a lot with what Superman is and represents as a character.' For actor Wendell Pierce, who plays Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White, superhero films like Superman are more than just a fun pastime for comic book fans. They bring a sense of optimism in troubled times and a feeling that even the everyday person has the power to create change. ' People want to feel empowered," Pierce said. "They want to feel as though they can make a contribution in some way and change the dynamic to change this dysfunctional paradigm. And so we turn off the lights and go into a small theater because we want to see collectively, decide what our values are and who we are, where we've been, where we've failed, where we can triumph. But ultimately decide what our values are and walk out of the theater and act on those.' ___ Sian Watson in London contributed to this report.
The Guardian
40 minutes ago
- The Guardian
I've started strutting like Liam Gallagher – and the power is great indeed
By the time I got into Cardiff Central just before 8am on Friday, the early birds of the Oasis flock were already arriving. With a full 12 hours to go until showtime, this wasn't a bad effort. Respect. I wasn't there for the big reunion concert. I'd have liked to have been going, but I couldn't face the hassle. If a ticket package had been available which transported me to my seat, à la Star Trek, just before the gig started, and then transported me straight to bed when the curtain came down, I would have paid handsomely for it. As it was, I enjoyed bystanding, breathing in the thick air of anticipation, like a kind of passive smoker, detached yet vaguely intoxicated by it all. I was there to present my radio programme from BBC Wales, just across the way from the station. My studio afforded me a view of the crowds thickening outside. I wanted to scoff at all the blokes of my vintage wearing age-inappropriate bucket hats, and the rampant money-making at the heart of it all. But it was all too moving seeing these people getting reacquainted with their 20-years-ago selves. And as for the Gallagher brothers, hell, money has driven many families apart – so what if in this instance, it's money that has brought them back together? I spotted a lad in a Man City top who can't have been born when Oasis started out. He was doing the Liam Gallagher walk. You know the one: a kind of extreme swagger, with exaggerated shoulder movement and feet oriented outwards, gum being chewed. Sweet. Daft, but sweet. And then I noticed that nearly everyone was, to a lesser or greater extent, doing the Liam walk. Young and old alike had their shoulders moving more than usual, their feet angled outwards by as many degrees as they could manage and their jaws a-chewing. This walk is seen as a Manchester thing, but I don't know if it was Manchester that gave it to Liam, or Liam who gave it to Manchester. Either way, geography didn't seem to matter, the whole seething congregation was at it. I'm not even sure it was a conscious thing; people's bodies just seemed to start moving in this way. It was obviously infectious. Everyone's attitude, bluster, arrogance – call it what you will – was elevated. It was quite a thing to see. Elis James joined me on air. He said that there are specific walks for specific occasions, and this was merely the going-to-an-Oasis-gig way. Another example, James said, was the walking-to-a-football-match walk. And he's right, there is something brisk, purposeful but vaguely trepidatious about the gait of a football fan heading to the ground. Heading away from the ground after the match is a different matter. Then it is result dependent. Winners and losers walk different walks. Other gaits spring to mind. There is the not especially purposeful and somewhat untidy way that kids the world over make their way to school. The leisurely, hands-behind-back progress of aged Italian gents taking their post-prandial stroll. The erect, staring-straight-ahead stride of beautiful people, their facial expressions communicating something along the lines of: 'Yes. Gorgeous, aren't I? Don't blame you for staring but, just to be clear, I'm way out of your league.' I've become a gait connoisseur. There really are so many to celebrate. I finished my radio show at lunchtime and made my way back to Cardiff Central to get out of town and leave the Oasis hordes to it. And sure enough, even during that short walk through the throng, my legs developed minds of their own. I watched my feet splay outwards towards the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. My shoulders soon joined in, and before I knew it I was chewing, even though there was nothing in my mouth to chew. Yes, I too was doing the Liam walk. Its power is great indeed. Adrian Chiles is a broadcaster, writer and Guardian columnist Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Best and WORST dressed at Sun Valley retreat as Ivanka Trump and Gayle King appear at 'billionaire summer camp'
The 'billionaire summer camp' - also known as Allen & Co.'s annual leadership retreat - has kicked off in Sun Valley, Idaho, attracting some of the world's most important names in business. The summer retreat includes some laid-back activities like biking and hiking, per The Observer, but most importantly, the moguls are there for business. Also on the agenda are 'high-level meetings and private lectures,' the outlet reported, many of which are confidential and closed off to the public and media. This year, the conference is rumored to host some of the biggest names in tech and media, like Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos and his new wife, Lauren Sanchez, who will be fresh from their days-long Venetian wedding extravaganza. Other guests already spotted include Ivanka Trump, Wendi Murdoch and Gayle King. The likes of Apple CEO Tim Cook and Disney CEO Bob Iger are also already in attendance at the multi-day event. Streaming was a 'major topic' of conversation at the 2024 gathering, according to Deadline, although it's unclear what will be on everyone's minds this year. In honor of one of the biggest weeks in the business world, FEMAIL has rounded up some of the best and worst dressed moguls from the week. BEST DRESSED Elegant as ever! Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, 43, looked refreshed and ready for the week ahead in an adorable, sage green dress with sheer long sleeves. She topped it off with a Western-style silver belt, black sunglasses and chic, green hoop earrings Summer chic! Alice and Olivia CEO Stacey Bendet Eisner, 46, looked ethereal as she wore a floral and lace striped matching set from her own brand. The top featured a deep v-neck and flutter sleeves. She paired the look with a camel-colored Hermès Birkin Bag, which she had decked out in bag charms, as well as a headband and pair of large black sunglasses WORST DRESSED Giddy up! Spanx founder Sara Blakely looked ready for Sun Valley as she arrived on Tuesday to the retreat in a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and chestnut brown suede cowboy boots. The entrepreneur tied the look together with a brown cowboy hat and bold blue bracelet - meaning she has head mixed fortunes with her outfit choices so far Dressed for the wrong season! Chairman and senior executive of IAC and Expedia group Barry Diller, 83, and his wife fashion designer Diane von Fusternberg, 78, were seen walking arm-in-arm on Wednesday to a morning session at the retreat. However, they looked like they were dressed for the entirely wrong season, as DVF wore an all-black ensemble topped with a white and black patterned coat, while her husband wore black jeans, a black patterned shirt and a gray rib-knit hoodie
