Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish on the O2 in London, England, July 14th, 2025
Jul 18, 2025
I genuinely imagine that if Billie Eilish had been making music after I was teenager, I may need omitted plenty of my adolescent self-hatred. Seeing the singer-songwriter take the stage for the third of her six reveals on the O2 Area in London, England, felt like a victory lap for anybody who has ever felt othered. Wearing his signature dishevelled denims and outsized jersey, she might have been any certainly one of my highschool pals (superior), albeit with the form of voice and songwriting expertise that commonly earns Oscars and Grammys (clearly additionally superior).
Vainness requires that I don’t disclose my age on-line. (Though it ought to be famous I’m about to have a birthday, I’ll take certainly one of Billie’s jerseys if anybody is shopping for, thanks.) However I’ll say that I grew up in an age the place journal quizzes helped me decide my excellent pores and skin (plot twist—we’re all flawed now, now purchase merchandise!), and celebrities Eilish’s age have been requested about their our bodies, not their beliefs. What would we have now product of a live performance beginning with a name to care? Eilish’s set began with a brief video, calling out local weather change (actual!), and calling in her followers to assist make a distinction by actions, together with taking public transit pledging to eat one vegan meal per day for a month—an motion that might save 7 million gallons of water. (If the concept that we should always all take private duty resonates with you, you possibly can study extra about her Overheated mission on Instagram.)
As for the present itself? Eilish has been writing anthem pop since earlier than she had an anthem to play—it ought to come as no shock that the 23-year-old continues to personal her outsized venues. The massive flat stage, positioned within the heart of the world was the proper playground for her to run, skip, and even soar into the nicely the place her brother/co-writer Finneas and backing band have been holding it down. There have been lasers, a glowing dice, and even fireplace (a pleasant contact to “unhealthy man.”) Mixed with massive overhead screens that captured her each motion (Generally on a hand-held digicam Elish pointed at herself and the viewers), and it was an Instagramable get together second.
It could have been sufficient if Elish had thrown a dance get together. Her followers, my interior little one, the mom subsequent to me frantically taking video so her son might dance—everybody sang alongside to the purpose it was typically exhausting to listen to her voice over din. (Her cowl of Charli XCX’s “Underwear,” below the requisite Brat-green lighting was a powerful rave-queen second.) However over the 90-minute set, the musician confirmed off her vary, significantly throughout 2018’s “When the Get together’s Over,” when she requested silence to loop her voice right into a heavenly backing monitor. Her cowl of Henry Mancini’s “Moon River” was additionally a stand-out. Audrey Hepburn, who volunteered with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador along with her high-profile day job, would have beloved Elish’s soulful tackle the Breakfast at Tiffany’s traditional.
In brief: Billie Eilish’s O2 efficiency was a communal act low-key revolution. Sure, it’s enjoyable to assemble with all followers of all ages and scream, however for individuals who by no means noticed ourselves within the pop stars of our youth, it felt like a much-needed correction. And because the closing notes of “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” floated out into the humid summer time evening, it was clear that Eilish isn’t simply chatting with her technology—she’s rewriting the principles for all of us.
Setlist:
1. CHIHIRO
2. LUNCH
3. NDA
4. Subsequently I Am
5. WILDFLOWER
6. when the get together’s over
7. THE DINER
8. ilomilo
9. unhealthy man
10. THE GREATEST
11. Your Energy
12. SKINNY
13. Moon River (Henry Mancini cowl)
14. BITTERSUITE
15. bury a good friend
16. Oxytocin
17. Guess (Charli xcx cowl)
18. every thing i needed
19. BLUE
20. pretty / BLUE / ocean eyes
21. L’AMOUR DE MA VIE
22. What Was I Made For?
23. Happier Than Ever
24. BIRDS OF A FEATHER
