Nervous System (EP)

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Nervous System
Stargate
Julia Michaels chronology
Futuristic
(2012) 		Nervous System
(2017) 		Inner Monologue Part 1
(2019)
Singles from Nervous System
  1. "Issues"
    Released: January 13, 2017
  2. "Uh Huh"
    Released: June 2, 2017
  3. "Worst in Me"
    Released: September 18, 2017

Nervous System is the third

Stargate and Mattman & Robin. Musically, it is a pop
record and lyrically it explores a former romantic relationship of Michaels'. It is Michaels' first EP to have a commercial impact.

The album's first single, "Issues", was released on January 13, 2017, and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] "Uh Huh", the second single from Nervous System, was released on June 2, 2017. "Worst in Me", the third single from the EP, was released on September 18, 2017.

Background and recording

From 2013 to 2016, Julia Michaels became well known for writing songs for Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and several other artists. When she wrote and recorded the song "Issues" in January 2016, after a fight with her boyfriend, she showed the song to Charlie Walk. Two months later, he signed her a record contract with Republic Records.[2] She had no idea that "Issues" would be a hit, so she decided to record the rest of her EP in April and May 2017.[3] She said to Music Choice:

"I did a mini-album because this is all very new to me, and I didn't wanna do an EP because I feel like that's too little. I feel like that's a chapter and I feel like an album is the book, and I'm not ready for the book".[3]

All the tracks of the EP are brand new songs, Michaels did not bring any rejected songs from other artists or old songs that she wrote.

Stargate, Mattman & Robin and Benny Blanco
produced and helped write the songs.

Songs and lyrical content

The record opens with the singer's lead single "

Idolator as "brighter, bolder and more instant" than "Issues", as well labeling the chorus as "obscenely catchy".[4] In "Worst in Me" Michaels discusses a troubled relationship. Variety opined that the relationship described in the song is similar to the one in "Issues", but that in "Worst in Me", Michaels is "less hopeful about how it'll turn out".[5]

"Make It Up to You" is an uptempo

piano ballad that follows a basic sequence of F–C–Am–F as its chord progression.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic
(favourable)[8]
AXS(6.6/10)[10]

Katherine St. Asaph, writing for Pitchfork, rated the EP 6.6 out of 10, writing that "the songs are refreshingly unique but their impact is varied." She complimented Michaels' "modest persona and writing style she likens to therapy."[8] Chris Willman of Variety wrote that the EP "reveals Michaels as a gifted enough singer and confession-inclined enough songwriter that leaving out the middleman was definitely the way to go." Willman called the EP "even more promising than her resume."[9] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic called the EP a "seven-song set of forward-thinking pop."[11]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."
Robin Fredriksson
  • Tranter
    		• Mattman & Robin2:58
    3."Worst in Me"
    • Michaels
    • Larsson
    • Fredriksson
    • Tranter
    		Mattman & Robin3:26
    4."Make It Up to You"
    • Michaels
    • Larsson
    • Fredriksson
    • Tranter
    		Mattman & Robin3:35
    5."Just Do It"
    • Michaels
    • Larsson
    • Fredriksson
    • Tranter
    		Mattman & Robin3:12
    6."Pink"
    • Michaels
    • Larsson
    • Fredriksson
    • Tranter
    		Mattman & Robin2:48
    7."Don't Wanna Think"MichaelsMichaels2:59
    Total length:21:55
    Japanese bonus tracks[12]
    No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
    8."Anxiety" (featuring Selena Gomez)
    • Kirkpatrick
    		3:30
    9."What a Time" (featuring Niall Horan)
    • Riley Knapp
    • Casey Barth
    • Michaels
    • Tranter
    • Kirkpatrick
    • RKCB
    		2:53
    Total length:28:17

    Personnel

    Credits adapted from the liner notes of Nervous System.

    Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered at

    • Los Angeles, California (
      Henson Recording Studios
      )
    • Suffolk, United Kingdom (Treehouse X Studios)
    • New York City (Sterling Sound)
    • Partille, Sweden (Studio Borgen)
    • Stockholm, Sweden (Wolf Cousins Studios)

    Performers and production

    Charts

    Weekly chart performance for Nervous System
    Chart (2017) Peak
    position
    Australia (ARIA)[13] 97
    Canadian Albums (Billboard)[14] 41
    New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)[15] 1
    Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 24
    US Billboard 200[17] 48
    US Digital albums (Billboard)[18] 24

    Certifications

    Certifications for Nervous System
    Region Certification Certified units/sales
    Canada (Music Canada)[19] Gold 40,000‡

    ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

    References

    1. ^ "Julia Michaels – Chart history: The Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
    2. ^ "Julia Michaels on Stepping Into Artist Role". YouTube. August 4, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
    3. ^ a b c "Julia Michaels on Creating 'Nervous System'". YouTube. August 4, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
    4. Idolator
      . Retrieved April 23, 2018.
    5. ^ Willman, Chris (30 July 2017). "Album Review: Julia Michaels' 'Nervous System'". Variety. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
    6. ^ "Julia Michaels Reveals Inspiration Behind Her Album" (Interview). YouTube. August 15, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
    7. ^ "Julia Michaels "Don't Wanna Think" Music Sheet". Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. August 4, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
    8. ^ a b c St. Asaph, Katherine. "Julia Michaels: Nervous System". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
    9. ^ a b Willman, Chris (2017-07-30). "Album Review: Julia Michaels' 'Nervous System'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
    10. ^ Villa, Lucas (July 27, 2017). "Review: Julia Michaels, the pop star, comes alive on mini-album 'Nervous System'". axs.com. AXS.
    11. ^ "Nervous System - Julia Michaels | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
    12. ^ "ナーヴァス・システム". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
    13. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #432". auspOp. August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
    14. ^ "Julia Michaels Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
    15. ^ "NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 7, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
    16. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Julia Michaels – Nervous System". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
    17. ^ "Julia Michaels Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
    18. ^ "Julia Michaels: Billboard Digital Albums". billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019.
    19. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Julia Michaels – Nervous System". Music Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
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