Don't Smile at Me is the debut EP by American singer Billie Eilish. It was released on August 11, 2017 through Interscope Records, and contains several of her previously released singles, including "Ocean Eyes", "Bellyache", "Watch", "Copycat", "Idontwannabeyouanymore", and "My Boy", which was used in the fourth episode of the third season of the American television seriesShadowhunters. Eilish had recorded another song for the show, but abandoned the project because the demo was leaked. Her viral song "Ocean Eyes" was included in the films The Hate U Give and Everything, Everything.
Background
About the EP's title, Eilish said: "My EP is called dont smile at me for a lot of reasons, but one of them would be when , 'Smile. Why aren't you smiling? It's so much more beautiful when you smile.' Everyone's taught to smile. Girls are like, 'Look happy, look like you're having fun!' I'm not gonna look like anybody except what I am. I want to impress myself."
Singles
"Ocean Eyes" was released at November 18, 2015 on SoundCloud; in 2017, two years later, it became included in the EP Don't Smile at Me as the lead single. "Bellyache" was released as the second single from the EP on February 24, 2017. "Watch" was released as the third single from the EP on June 30, 2017. "Copycat" was released as the fourth single from the EP on July 14, 2017. "Idontwannabeyouanymore" was released as the EP's fifth single on July 21, 2017. "My Boy" was released on July 28, 2017, as the EP's sixth single. "Party Favor" was released as a 7 inch vinyl single on April 21, 2018. It is the seventh single from the EP, and the B-side is a cover of Drake's "Hotline Bling".
Critical reception
Don't Smile at Me received positive reviews from music critics. Kristin Smith of PluggedIn said about the album, "A fusion of multiple genres, sounds and styles, these nine tracks capture the young singer's undeniably engaging perspective and personality. We hear the honest confessions of a teenager who has known heartbreak, self-loathing and love. Don't Smile at Me is dreamy and depressing, enchanting and haunting. And it warrants both praise and caution." Nicole Almeida of Atwood Magazine said "Sixteen-year-old Billie Eilish's debut EP title warns you: Don't Smile at Me. It's a direct order, a powerful declaration, a statement coming from the mouth of someone who knows who she is, what she likes and doesn't like, and who won't play by anyone else's rules. The title perfectly embodies the strength and ambition of Eilish's debut EP and of Eilish herself as an artist." Robert Christgau, writing for Vice, commended Eilish's "still-fragile melodies and still-pure voice" on the EP, but considered the songwriting and production to be less accomplished than on her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.
Commercial performance
Don't Smile at Me became a sleeper hit in the US, debuting at number 185 on the US Billboard 200 a month and a half after its release. It then broke into the top 100 in the week ending May 31, 2018, its 21st week on the list, at number 97 with 7,000 units. It reached the top 40 in the week ending July 28 at number 38 with 12,000 units including 10,000 SEA units, before peaking at number 14 in its 56th charting week, in the week ending January 26, 2019. As of April 2019, the EP has earned 947,000 album-equivalent units in the United States. It has also generated more than 1.2 billion on-demand audio streams for its tracks.
Track listing
Notes
All tracks are stylized in all lowercase, except for "Copycat", which is stylized in all caps, and "MyBoi".
"&Burn" is an alternate remixed version of "Watch".
