Billie Eilish unwrapped the live debut of the soaring ballad “The Greatest” on The Late Show on Monday night (June 10), performing the Hit Me Hard and Soft album track accompanied by her brother/producer Finneas on acoustic guitar. The moodily lit performance opened with the singer shrouded in darkness sitting on a stool as Finneas finger picked notes and she whisper sang, “And you don’t wanna know/ How alone I’ve been/ Let you come and go/ Whatever state I’m in.”
Wearing one of her patented outfits comprised of an oversized jersey with striped tie, baggy plaid shorts and sneakers, Eilish eventually stood up as the song began to pick up pace and she gripped the mic with both hands as she leaned into the soaring, self-congratulatory chorus: “Man, am I the greatest/ My congratulations/ All my love and patience/ All my admiration/ All the times I waited/ For you to want me naked/ Made it look painless/ Man, am I the greatest.”
With the green stage lights flashing, Finneas switched to electric guitar and the band cranked up as Eilish howled “Man am I the greatest” and “I waited” before the arrangement got small again and she dropped back into her feathery falsetto and sighed, “I shouldn’t have to say it/ You could’ve been the greatest.”
Eilish dropped the video for the album track “Chihiro” last week in which she sprinted through an abandoned building, chasing elusive Paper Towns actor Nat Wolff before they briefly tussle and then make nice.
Watch Eilish perform “The Greatest” on The Late Show below.
