Following a historic second Academy Award win and two additional GRAMMY Awards for her contribution to Greta Gerwig’s feature-length film Barbie, “What Was I Made For?”, Billie released her third full-length album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. At once vulnerable and bold, it’s the sound of a generational artist taking a massive leap forward — and the best music of her career. Upon release, the album soared to No. 1 on Apple Music’s all-genre albums chart in 138 countries worldwide.
Billie continues to make her presence felt across culture. She performed her hit “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” while representing her hometown of Los Angeles at the closing ceremony of the summer games this August — and drove her biggest day ever for Shazam volume in the process. Billie also linked up with Charli xcx for “Guess,” one of the songs of the summer, and is currently headlining the sold-out HIT ME HARD AND SOFT tour, which will extend her triumphant year well into 2025.
In addition to being nominated for seven more GRAMMY Awards this year — including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year — Billie has also become the first person to earn Apple Music Artist of the Year honours twice, having won the inaugural award in 2019.
It’s a feat that speaks not just to Apple Music’s passion for Billie’s work, but the enduring possibilities of everything she creates. If her 2019 debut, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? — included in Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums in May of this year — introduced her to the world as a teenage phenom, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT has signalled that she’s here to stay.
“From the moment we first heard ‘Ocean Eyes’ nearly a decade ago, we’ve been fans and champions of Billie’s work,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of content and editorial. “It’s always special when a young artist can connect with so many people so quickly. But what’s been truly remarkable about watching her evolve over the course of this last year isn’t just that her voice and artistry have continued to resonate so widely. It’s that she’s blossomed as bravely and honestly as she has — on her own terms, in her own way.”
“Since day one, Apple Music has supported my music and artistry, and I am both honoured and humbled to receive this recognition as Artist of the Year this many years into my career,” Billie told Apple Music.
