Perfectly Imperfect (EP)

Perfectly Imperfect
EP by Grace Vanderwaal
Released	December 2, 2016
Genre	Pop
Length	16:51
Label	Columbia Records
Singles from Perfectly Imperfect
"I Don't Know My Name" Released: November 18, 2016

Perfectly Imperfect is a 2016 Extended play by American recording artist Grace VanderWaal, the winner of America's Got Talent (AGT), season 11. It includes all four songs that VanderWaal wrote and performed on AGT and another original song by VanderWaal, "Gossip Girl".

Development

VanderWaal signed a recording deal with Columbia Records in September 2016, soon after winning AGT,^[1] and began recording sessions in October.^[2] She started production of her debut EP, Perfectly Imperfect in early September 2016, which was recorded in New York City.^[3] Pre-orders for the recording entitled purchasers to an instant download of VanderWaal's song "I Don't Know My Name", which was the song she auditioned with at AGT.^[4] The album was released on December 2, 2016.^[5]

There are five songs on the EP, including all four of VanderWaal's original songs from AGT and another original, "Gossip Girl". The recording is produced by Greg Wells. A Walmart version features one additional song, "Missing You (Coffeehouse Version)".^[6]

Singles

The first single from the EP was released on November 18, 2016, along with pre-orders for the album, was "I Don't Know My Name."^[7] The song debuted at number #24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and at #37 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart.^[8] VanderWaal also released a lyrics video for "I Don't Know My Name" on November 18, and it has accumulated more than two million views on YouTube.^[9] A lyrics video for a second song, "Clay", was released on the same day as the EP and has accumulated more than on million views.^[10]

Promotion

VanderWaal has been promoting the EP with a series of appearances and performances. She performed "Light the Sky" and "Riptide" at halftime during the New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 6, 2016.^[11] VanderWaal performed "I Don't Know My Name" in the 2016 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,^[12] on NBC's Today show on November 28^[13] and at the Christmas tree lighting at South Street Seaport, in New York City, on November 29, where she also sang "Light the Sky".^[14][15] She sang "I Don't Know My Name" on The Wendy Williams Show on December 2^[16] and at Cyndi Lauper's annual holiday fundraiser at the Beacon Theatre on December 3.^[17] She is scheduled to perform on CBS's The Talk on December 8, 2016.^[18]

In addition to lyrics videos for the songs "I Don't Know My Name" and "Clay", mentioned above, VanderWaal released a video to promote Perfectly Imperfect on her YouTube VEVO channel featuring the song "I Don't Know My Name". As of December 4, it has received more than 6 million views.^[19]

Reaction

Billboard magazine praised VanderWaal's vocals, finding them "reminiscent of a Taylor Swift-Regina Spektor hybrid".^[5] Brianna Wiest of Teen Vogue wrote: "The EP takes you through Grace's range, touching on issues that are all-too-well-known for young people, as well as soul-stokingly beautiful medleys that almost anyone could relate to. ... [W]e see ... her ability to master both a softer, vowel-breaking folk tone as well as push through a serious power-ballad by the end. It's rare that you see both at once, but that's part of the magic of Grace's sound: it's at once completely new, and totally unexpected."^[20]

Track listing

1. "I Don't Know My Name"
2. "Clay"
3. "Beautiful Thing"
4. "Light the Sky"
5. "Gossip Girl"

Walmart Exclusive

6. " "Missing You (Coffeehouse Version)"

References