Project Description

BILLIE EILISH @ Oxford Art Factory (Live Review) – 06/02/2018

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The last time I reviewed Billie Eilish, she played to a sold out overage crowd in the midst of Sydney’s Lansdowne Hotel. Eilish and brother Finneas O’Connell swooned their way into everyone’s hearts through emotional dark pop and overwhelming stage presence. However, that was 6 months ago, and 6 months is a long time in the world of Billie Eilish. She’s became an Apple Music UPNEXT artist less than a month after the first time across the pond, worked alongside some of the biggest upcoming creatives like Vince Staples and BROCKHAMPTON and sold out every show she’s played along the way. Now, she’s conquers a sold out Oxford Art Factory, along with a supporting performance by hip-hop goddess OKENYO and from the amount of people waiting in line, it was bound to be just as insane as six months prior.

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First on the stage was OKENYO with DJ veteran Flexmami mixing the instrumentals within her diamond-coated headphones. Although the classic case of technical malfunctions through the first two songs of her set, OKENYO didn’t let the smallest thing get in her way in her co-ordinated dance moves between her and her back-up singers Bonnie Johnston and Emily Havea. She rapped and sung her way through songs from 2016 debut EP 10 Feet Tall and recent singles like “ISO”. Although, nothing wooed the crowd as much as her breakthrough single “WOMAN’S WORLD”. It had both men and women in the world screaming the lyrics “I’m a very busy woman with a lot on my plate” back to her and gained her more than a few fans in the process.

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Billie Eilish at Laneway Festival Brisbane – by Rohan Osborne

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The curtains soon opened to Finneas O’Connell and a new addition to Eilish’s on-stage team, later introduced to the audience as Andrew, in matching jumpsuits. And not before long, out came Eilish in her full glory. No part of the stage was left unturned through singles “bellyache” and “idon’twannabeyouanymore” and no person was left standing still. Watching Eilish sing with such passion through ballads like “bored” and “six feet under” is a constant reminder of the fresh talent she brings with such force that it moves fans to tears.

Like previously, Eilish excused herself to drink some water whilst bringing O’Connell to the centre stage. O’Connell then swooned the crowd with his song “NEW GIRL”, which had him on his knees in happiness with ecstatic reaction from the crowd. Eilish also brought out her trusty ukulele to play a cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and acoustic jam “party favor”. She even treated her fans to an unreleased song “when the party’s over”, which saw Billie sitting on a barstool clouded in her thoughts as the song unfolded before busting out co-ordinated dance moves with O’Connell for “my boy” and ending her set with haunting ballad “hostage” and EP opener “COPYCAT”.

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Billie Eilish at Laneway Festival Brisbane – by Rohan Osborne

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Fans left Oxford Art Factory in awe after watching the 16-year-old perform. In fact, her live performance is one of the many reasons she’s become a pop prodigy. Her ability to storm onto a stage and bring a crowd to its knees is a special essence that shows the long career she has laid out in front of her, hand in hand with her brother Finneas and touring member Andrew. As for Billie alone, the only way for her is up.

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