Copycat (Billie Eilish song)

"Copycat" is a song recorded by American singer Billie Eilish. It was released by Darkroom and Interscope Records as the fourth single from Eilish's debut studio EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, co-wrote the song, with the latter solely handling the production. Musically an electronica and pop track with a hip hop-influenced instrumentation, the song was heavily inspired by someone who kept on copying Eilish and what she did.

"Copycat"
A girl is seen on ladder.
Single by Billie Eilish
from the EP Don't Smile at Me
ReleasedJuly 14, 2017 (2017-07-14)
Genre
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Finneas O'Connell
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"Watch"
(2017)		 "Copycat"
(2017)		 "Idontwannabeyouanymore"
(2017)
Audio video
"Copycat" on YouTube

Commercially, "Copycat" peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and number 100 on the Canadian Hot 100. It has also received several certifications, notably a double platinum award from the Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms, A.C. (AMPROFON). The song was performed live during Eilish's 2019 When We All Fall Asleep Tour and her Where Do We Go? World Tour in 2020. A Sofi Tukker remix was released on January 12, 2018.

Background and release

"Copycat" was released on July 14, 2017, as the fourth single on Eilish's debut EP Don't Smile at Me.[1] "Copycat" was written by the singer and Finneas O'Connell, her brother and the track's sole producer. Mastering and mixing was handled by the studio personnel, John Greenham, and Rob Kinelski, respectively.[2] In an interview with Genius, Eilish mentioned that she wrote the song with her brother about a girl who copies everything that she does. "I write with my brother mostly. That song, we were just in his room, and I was like, 'Yo! There's this fucking girl and she keeps doing everything that I do. And I want to write about it.' Because it was in my mind."[3] A remix by Sofi Tukker was released on January 12, 2018.[4] Dan Regan of Billboard praised the remix, saying its tone "beefs up [Copycat] with a club-ready rhythm", and has a "flush of colors in its disco cheeks as new layers of synthetic brightness come in waves."[5]

Music and lyrics

"Copycat" has been described as a hip-hop-influenced electronica and pop track in press reviews.[6][7][8] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, "Copycat" has a slow and constant tempo of 64 beats per minute (BPM) and is played in the key of E minor. Eilish's vocals span a range of E3 to G5.[9] It features a minimalist production consisting of a bass guitar and piano.[7][10] Titiana Crisano of Billboard compared the instrumentation to the later work of XXXTentacion and Tyler, the Creator.[7] In an interview with Billboard, Eilish stated that Finneas came up with the "weird, creepy bass sound" and she thought it was cool.[7]

The song is Eilish's response to someone who kept copying everything she is doing: "Copycat trying to cop my manner/Watch your back when you can’t watch mine/Copycat trying to cop my glamour/Why so sad, bunny, you can’t have mine?"[11][12] As the song reaches the bridge, the instrumentation turns into a piano ballad and Eilish's vocals become somewhat quiet and build into a falsetto and apologizes as she warns the person that they have reached their limit: "You just crossed the line/You've run out of time/I'm so sorry, now you know/Sorry I'm the one that told you so."[10][11] She then tricks the listener with "psyche" and returns to the original dark lyrics.[7][11][13][14]

Reception and live performances

Insider's Libby Torres, called the track a "precursor of sorts to 'Bad Guy'" and felt that "Copycat" lacks the "driving bass and increasingly-layered vocals" that made "Bad Guy" a good song. However, Torres concedes it is still a "worthy song that provides a tantalizing glimpse of Eilish's early potential".[13] NME's Thomas Smith commented that "Copycat" was "impossibly swagger" with "scattered beats and energetic live performances making it a welcome entry point for many fans."[15] Niall Byrne of The Irish Times described the ending as a "menacing synth" that reappears to "underscore her sullen demeanour".[16] Kirsten Spruch of Billboard described the track as a "ground-shaking opener".[14] Mike Wass writing for Idolator labeled "Copycat" as a "raised middle-finger to all the fakes and frauds".[17] Katherine Cusumano of W magazine cited the track as a "don't-eff-with-me opening statement".[11]

"Copycat" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, however, it peaked at number 12 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[18] The song also peaked at number 100 on the Canadian Hot 100.[19] "Copycat" has been awarded notably a double platinum certification award from the Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms, A.C. (AMPROFON).[20] Eilish performed "Copycat" at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, at the Glastonbury Festival in June, and at Pukkelpop in August 2019.[21][22][23] "Copycat" was included on the setlist of Eilish's 2019 When We All Fall Asleep Tour, and on her 2020 Where Do We Go? World Tour.[24][25] A fraction of song was interpolated during a performance of "Oxytocin" during Happier Than Ever, The World Tour (2022).[26]

Track listing

Digital download / streaming[27]

  1. "Copycat" – 3:14
  2. "Watch" – 2:57

Digital download / streaming – Sofi Tukker remix[4]

  1. "Copycat" (Sofi Tukker remix) – 3:18

Personnel

Charts
Weekly chart performance for "Copycat"
Chart (2019–2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19] 100
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[18] 12
US Alternative Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[28] 17

Certifications
Certifications and sales for "Copycat"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[30] Platinum 80,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[31] Gold 45,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[20] 2× Platinum 120,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[32] Platinum 20,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[33] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[35] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release dates and formats for "Copycat"
Region Date Format Version Label(s) Ref.
Various July 14, 2017
Original
[7]
January 12, 2018 Sofi Tukker remix [4]

References
  1. "Billie Eilish Releases New Single 'Copycat'". Universal Music Group. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  2. Don't Smile at Me (Media notes). Billie Eilish. Darkroom, Interscope Records. 2017.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. Winn, Lily (September 20, 2017). "Billie Eilish Breaks Down 'Copycat' On Genius' Series 'Verified'". Genius. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  4. "COPYCAT (Sofi Tukker Remix) by Billie Eilish". Spotify. 12 January 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  5. Regan, Dan (March 29, 2019). "The 12 Best Billie Eilish Remixes". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  6. Smither, Tanis (July 14, 2017). "Billie Eilish proves she is pop's next princess with latest 'Copycat'". Earmilk. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  7. Crisano, Tatiana (July 14, 2017). "15-Year-Old Pop Prodigy Billie Eilish Announces Debut EP & First-Ever Tour". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  8. Smith, Thomas (August 19, 2018). "Billie Eilish plots dominance on 'you should see me in a crown'". NME. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  9. "Billie Eilish 'Copycat' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. 21 January 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  10. Almedia, Nicole (February 16, 2018). "Music You Should Know: Confidence & Boldness on Billie Eilish's Debut EP 'Don't Smile at Me'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  11. Cusumano, Katherine (August 14, 2017). "Meet Billie Eilish, Pop's Terrifying 15-Year-Old Prodigy". W. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  12. La Ferla, Ruth (January 28, 2020). "Billie Eilish: Gen Z's Outrageous Fashion Role Model". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  13. Ahlgrim, Callie (March 18, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish song, ranked". Insider. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  14. Spruch, Kristen (December 12, 2019). "10 Billie Eilish Songs Every Superfan Should Know". Billboard. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  15. Smith, Thomas (March 8, 2019). "Get on board with Billie Eilish – her 10 best songs so far". NME. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  16. Byrne, Niall (December 2, 2017). "New artist of the week: the callow, but impressive Billie Eilish". The Irish Times. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  17. Wass, Mike (July 14, 2017). "The Drop: Your Guide To New Music Friday Featuring Billie Eilish & Olivia O'Brien". Idolator. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  18. "Billie Eilish Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  19. "Billie Eilish Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  20. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved January 14, 2020. Type Billie Eilish in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Copycat in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  21. Powers, Shad (December 10, 2019). "Second time around even better for Billie Eilish as Weekend 2 set is more powerful, raw". The Desert Sun. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  22. Saval, Marina (July 1, 2019). "Billie Eilish Mesmerizes Glastonbury Crowd With Life-Affirming Performance". Variety. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  23. "Hysterie tijdens Billie Eilish, maar perfect is het nog lang niet" [Hysteria during Billie Eilish concert, but it isn't perfect yet]. Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). August 18, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  24. Saw, Yadana (April 25, 2019). "Review: Billie Eilish at Spark Arena – 'a shared dream'". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  25. Young, Alex (March 10, 2020). "Billie Eilish Launches 'Where Do We Go? World Tour'". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  26. Spanos, Brittany (February 4, 2022). "Opening Night of the First Billie Eilish Tour in Two Years Was Everything Fans Hoped For (Plus Rain)". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  27. "dont smile at me by Billie Eilish". Spotify. 14 July 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  28. "Billie Eilish: Chart History - Alternative Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  29. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  30. "Canadian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Copycat". Music Canada.
  31. "Danish single certifications – Billie Eilish – Copycat". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  32. "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  33. "Portuguese single certifications – Billie Eilish – Copycat" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  34. "British single certifications – Billie Eilish – Copycat". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  35. "American single certifications – Billie Eilish – Copycat". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
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