Venue: National Stadium, Singapore
Date: 21st August 2022
Promoter: Live Nation Singapore
Review by: Anna F.
Special Thanks: The Live Nation Singapore team
With her jet black hair, esoteric fashion sense, and far from cookie-cutter lyrics in tow, Billie Eilish greeted the arena full of her clamoring fans slightly after 8pm. And from the minute she stepped onstage, the LA popstar proved that she earned her place as a global pop sensation.
Donning one of her signature oversized T-shirts with a skull prominently emblazoned on it, matching bike shorts, along with kinesiology tape on her calves, and white sneakers, the 20-year-old singer and Grammy and Oscar winner cherished every second she had on stage. She constantly encouraged the crowd to move around, sing, dance, and more importantly, to have fun. There were moments during the show when she paused, basking in the incredible response she was receiving. It was remarkable to see such a young star show so much maturity and poise as she thanked the audience – many of whom first-time concertgoers – for turning up, especially since it’s been a hot minute since concerts were a thing.
The 30,000 in attendance clung to the singer’s every word. Lyrics were sung back deafeningly, oftentimes drowning out the softspoken singer. The connection between Eilish and the audience was undeniable despite the distance between the stage and those who were seated. When the house lights went off and the hypnotising strobes and lasers decorated the arena, Eilish captivated and charmed her way into everyone’s hearts.
The stage production was massive and minimalistic at the same time. The set was modestly adorned. There were no dancers or backup singers in sight, and the only other musicians onstage were drummer Andrew Marshall and Eilish’s multi-instrumentalist brother, Finneas. However, visually compelling and masterfully curated digital projections transcended the overall experience – you couldn’t look away. Credit definitely goes to Eilish’s charismatic stage presence for barely needing much else to woo the audience.
Songs like “Oxytocin” and “you should see me in a crown” brought the energy level up a notch, with an eerie animation of a giant arachnid accompanying her performance for the latter. She also took some time to give her fans a breather during “when the party’s over”, asking them to sit down wherever they found space to do so, close their eyes and take a deep breath in and out. It was much needed, as TikTok videos of people passing out in the crowd later proved.
Throughout the night, Eilish expertly conducted the room like a seasoned superstar. She set out some rules for the night too: “Don’t be mean to anyone, don’t judge anyone in here and have fun. I give everyone permission to lose your mind.” She also took us down memory lane as she shared that Singapore was one of the first places she ever played a show for the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival at Gardens by the Bay in 2018.
Eilish saved her most popular songs for the last, with the extremely catchy “bad guy” getting everyone bouncing and singing along. The set closer “Happier Than Ever”, off her second studio album with the same name, saw fans at their loudest. The song closed on an emphatic note, with a punk outro and flashing lights.
All in all, it was one for the books and she gave us all something to cry about.