During her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour stop in Paris, Billie Eilish once again proved her mastery of emotional depth onstage. The Grammy-winning artist surprised the crowd at Accor Arena with a stunning acoustic rendition of Paramore’s “The Only Exception,” sending the arena into a heartfelt singalong that resonated far beyond the venue.
Seated alone under a soft spotlight, Eilish channeled the full emotional weight of the 2009 Paramore ballad. Her whispery delivery, backed by delicate instrumentation, gave the song a haunting intimacy that captivated the audience. Fans echoed every lyric, creating a rare moment of collective vulnerability.
Hayley Williams, Paramore’s frontwoman, quickly responded to the performance on Instagram, writing, “i love you sweet baby b – yall did this so beautifully.” The mutual admiration between the two artists has been growing over the years. In 2022, Williams joined Eilish onstage at Coachella for a duet of “Misery Business,” and in 2023, Eilish made a surprise appearance during Paramore’s LA show for “All I Wanted.”
This isn’t the first time Eilish has brought iconic covers into her set. Just last month in Amsterdam, she tackled Radiohead’s “Creep,” continuing a pattern of breathing new life into melancholic classics. But her Paramore tribute in Paris stands out not only for its emotional impact, but for the connection it reaffirmed between generations of vulnerable songwriting.
As Billie Eilish continues her 2025 world tour, moments like these cement her role not just as a pop phenomenon, but as a curator of emotion—fearless in making space for softness and sincerity.