Billie Eilish Brings 'Birds of a Feather' to MSG: Review

Billie Eilish actually seemed to have everything she wanted on Wednesday night.

In the first of three sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden on her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour, the 22-year-old pop phenom got all the love she could ask for – and more.

“It's really incredible – my goodness,” said an almost embarrassed Eilish to deafening cheers. “Thank you very much for being here and accompanying me.”

But when she sang “Everything I Wanted” — the 2019 hit that earned Eilish one of her nine Grammys and her second in a row for Record of the Year — it didn't exactly feel like she was living her dream.

In fact, on her first tour without her producer brother Finneas, she seemed conflicted about it all. All alone up there, with only her emotions on a minimalist stage that stretched much of the length of the arena, it was as if she wasn't entirely comfortable with the magnitude of the moment.

But unlike other young pop divas who try their best, Eilish has always been a low-key superstar. And therein lies their appeal, their sympathy for the Garden crowds who have collectively embraced them – from the sensual intimacy of “Wildflower” to the haunting, harmonious “When the Party's Over”.

In the latter case, after asking for silence – and getting it – she continued singing while lying flat on the stage. It was like she was inviting you into her bedroom.

But it wasn't exactly a slumber party. This was a confessional for a woman. It was never like this when she changed the ballad “The Greatest” from soft to hard tone, from lullaby to arena anthem.

Still, there were moments when Eilish shook the arena – literally shaking the ground – including “Lunch,” “Bury a Friend” and “Oxytocin” from 2024's “Hit Me Hard and Soft” and “When “We All Fall” from 2019 “Sleeping, where are we going?” and “Happier Than Ever” from 2021.

And in an unexpected twist, she even felt confident enough relatively early in the show to do her biggest hit, “Bad Guy.”

She should have done that – because there was much more.

“What Was I Created For?” — her “Barbie” ballad, which won both the Song of the Year Grammy and the Oscar for Best Original Song earlier this year — received the sweetest, most heartfelt sing-along of all.

And then, surprisingly, Eilish happily joined Finneas on the final two numbers: “Happier Than Ever” and her current hit “Birds of a Feather,” which had the crowd pumping up.

In that moment, it truly felt like everything she wanted.