Billie Eilish calls Performing ‘The Greatest’ a ‘special’ fan connection

Billie Eilish recently reflected on the strong connection she feels when performing her song “The Greatest” during her ongoing Hit me hard and soft trip.

In an interview with Apple Music celebrating her Artist of the Year, Eilish shared how hearing fans sing the track back to her has been an unforgettable experience.

“When I did the first show of my tour that I’m on right now, specifically, ‘The Greatest’ just has a lot of — it’s just something special for us,” she said. “But I did ‘The Greatest’ and I took one of my in-ears out and I just loved hearing this giant arena full of people singing it. They sang every other song too, but something with to hear that song that has this meaning to me and this memory to me and also like the memory of us making it and what it gave us in our kind of creative spirit.”

She continued, “And just hearing the crowd sing it, it really made me have, you know, proof in front of me. I could see it with my eyes, I could hear it with my ears. And it’s something, I hold so close to me. And every time I get a chance to really see how what I’m doing or whatever affects people in real time, that’s the thing.”

“The Greatest”, which debuted live The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in June 2024, has become a highlight of her set list. The song’s reflective lyrics, including the chorus, “Man, I’m the greatest/ My congratulations/ All my love and patience/ All my admiration,” have fans wondering if it’s about a romantic relationship or her complex relationship with fame — something Eilish has spoken openly about throughout her career.

Eilish also touched on the emotional weight the song carries for her. “I love that song so much. It’s really, really special to me. I literally performed it the other day and cried afterwards,” she said during an earlier interview on BBC Radio 1’s New music show with Jack Saunders.

The live acoustic set, filmed in Los Angeles with her brother and longtime collaborator Finneas, featured a Q&A as well as renditions of hits from Eilish’s third studio album, Hit me hard and softincluding “The Greatest” and “Birds of a Feather”.

Eilish’s Hit me hard and soft tour has been a global phenomenon with sold out dates and critical acclaim. Upon release, the album rose to no. 1 on Apple Music’s album chart across all genres in 138 countries worldwide. The project also hit no. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for all genres.

In 2025, she is nominated for seven Grammys. Hit me hard and soft is up for album of the year and best pop vocal album, while “Birds of a Feather” snagged nominations for record of the year, song of the year and best pop solo performance. “Over Now Extended Edit” of “L’Amour De Ma Vie” is nominated for Best Dance Pop Recording, while her Charli XCX “Guess” collaboration got a nod for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Fans can watch the Apple Music Artist of the Year performance, which aired live on December 17, now available on demand for subscribers.