{{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = To Feel Alive | type = EP | artist = Kali Uchis | cover = Kali Uchis - To Feel Alive.png | alt = | released = {{start date|2020|4|24}} | recorded = 2020 | studio = | genre = <!-- Do not add unsourced genres --> * Pop * R&B | length = 10:03 | label = * Virgin EMI * Interscope | producer = * Rogét Chahayed * Bunx Dadda * Aja Grant * Austen Jux-Chandler * Sounwave * Kali Uchis * Vegyn | prev_title = Isolation | prev_year = 2018 | next_title = Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) | next_year = 2020 }} '''''To Feel Alive''''' is the second extended play by American singer Kali Uchis, released on April 24, 2020, through Virgin EMI Records and Interscope Records. It is her first extended play since ''Por Vida'' (2015) and first release overall since ''Isolation'' (2018).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Strauss |first1=Matthew |title=Kali Uchis Announces New To Feel Alive EP, Out This Week |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kali-uchis-announces-new-to-feel-alive-ep-out-this-week/ |accessdate=April 21, 2020 |work=Pitchfork |date=April 20, 2020 |location=United States |language=en}}</ref> Unable to issue her second studio album, the singer recorded the EP's songs in her home while self-isolating due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite tweet |title=can’t give you my album yet, but i recorded some demos in my room for u. TO FEEL ALIVE EP this friday |number=1252265523154321408 |user=KALIUCHIS |first=Kali|last=Uchis|author-link=Kali Uchis |date=April 20, 2020 |access-date=April 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |title=it will be a 4 song ep i made in a couple days, during quarantine. recorded all of it alone, in my room, bcoz i won’t roll out my real album right now, but wanna give my babies Something ٩(˘◡˘)۶ nobody needs to listen to it, & i don’t want ANYONE to buy it. thank u |number=1252476804582891521 |user=KALIUCHIS |first=Kali |last=Uchis |date=April 21, 2020 |access-date=April 21, 2020}}</ref>
== Background and composition == Before the release of ''To Feel Alive'', Uchis uploaded a video to her YouTube channel featuring snippets of demos for "Honey Baby" and "Angel", with the latter previously titled "Pablo Escobar";<ref name="NME review" /> ultimately, none of the songs were used for ''Por Vida''. The two were reworked, with "Angel" changing only one line.<ref name="Insider interview">{{cite web|title=Kali Uchis breaks down the quarantine EP she made on her bedroom floor, and how solitude can be a powerful tool|url=https://www.insider.com/kali-uchis-to-feel-alive-ep-quarantine-isolation-interview-2020-4|last1=Ahlgrim|first1=Callie|date=May 5, 2020|website=Insider|accessdate=May 10, 2020}}</ref> Uchis first performed "I Want War (But I Need Peace)" during her 2019 co-headlining tour with Jorja Smith.<ref name="NME review" />
Ellen Johnson, writing for ''Paste'' classified ''To Feel Alive'' as a "stellar rendering of escapist pop",<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Johnson|first=Ellen|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/kali-uchis/to-feel-alive-ep|title=Kali Uchis Releases Self-Produced EP 'To Feel Alive'|magazine=Paste|date=April 24, 2020|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> while Antwane Folk from ''Rated R&B'' described it as "dreamy R&B".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Folk|first=Antwane|url=https://ratedrnb.com/2020/04/kali-uchis-releases-self-produced-ep-to-feel-alive/|title=Kali Uchis Releases Self-Produced EP 'To Feel Alive'|magazine=Rated R&B|date=April 24, 2020|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> Charlie Zhang of ''Hypebeast'' wrote that the EP features "dreamy, electric synth-infused sounds that complement Uchis' uniquely wistful singing".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kali Uchis' Dreamy New EP 'To Feel Alive' is Both Buoyant and Wistful|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/4/kali-uchis-to-feel-alive-mixtape-stream|last=Zhang|first=Charlie|date=April 24, 2020|website=Hypebeast|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> In an interview for ''Insider'', Uchis revealed that it took "probably 15 minutes" to write and record the EP's title track.<ref name="Insider interview" />
== Artwork and promotion == The EP's artwork is a painting Uchis commissioned to Polish artist Oh de Val.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Betancourt|first=Bianca|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a32306034/kali-uchis-to-feel-alive-ep-interview/|title=Kali Uchis’s Latest EP Was Never Meant to Exist|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|date=May 1, 2020|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> It consists of a brunette Uchis performing oral sex on a blonde version of herself,<ref>{{cite web|title=Kali Uchis Announces Her 'To Feel Alive' EP With Raunchy Cover Art|url=https://uproxx.com/music/kali-uchis-to-feel-alive-ep-release-date/|last1=Droke|first1=Carolyn|date=April 20, 2020|website=UPROXX|accessdate=April 21, 2020}}</ref> representing the combining of styles found on ''Isolation'' and ''Por Vida'', respectively, to form a new, more pleasurable one.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kali Uchis's new EP To Feel Alive is out this Friday|url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/04/20/kali-uchis-new-ep-to-feel-alive|last1=Ross|first1=Alex Robert|date=April 20, 2020|website=The Fader|language=en|accessdate=April 21, 2020}}</ref> The image's explicit content was censored on Spotify and Apple Music.<ref name="NME review" />
A lyric video for "I Want War (But I Need Peace)" premiered on April 26, 2020.<ref>{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0tWINt8Ofk|title=i want war (BUT I NEED PEACE) lyric video|date=April 26, 2020|last=Uchis|first=Kali|type=Video|language=en|publisher=YouTube}}</ref> The video's scenery was filmed in Uchis' backyard through a green screen.<ref name="Insider interview" />
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = ''NME'' | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="NME review">{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Thomas |title=Kali Uchis – 'To Feel Alive' EP review: a modern icon transcends her breakthrough period |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/kali-uchis-to-feel-alive-ep-review-2656237 |website=NME |accessdate=May 10, 2020 |date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Young Folks'' | rev2score = 7/10<ref name="The Young Folks review">{{cite web |first=Ramlogun |last=Khushi |date=May 10, 2020 |title=Album Review: Kali Uchis – "To Feel Alive" EP |url=https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/143231/album-review-kali-uchis-to-feel-alive-ep/ |website=The Young Folks |access-date=February 12, 2025 }}</ref> }} ''To Feel Alive'' received generally positive reviews from music critics. ''NME''{{'}}s Thomas Smith gave ''To Feel Alive'' a 4 out of 5 stars rating, praising Uchis' vocal performance and her decision to rerecord the demo tracks.<ref name="NME review" /> Ramlogun Khushi of ''The Young Folks'' stated that with the EP "Uchis manages to tell a captivating love story in just a few tracks, chock full of groovy beats and colorful imagery".<ref name="The Young Folks review" />
== Track listing == {{Track listing | headline = ''To Feel Alive'' track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | total_length = 10:03 | title_width = 30% | writing_width = 40% | extra_width = 40% | title1 = Honey Baby (Spoiled!) | writer1 = {{hlist|Karly-Marina Loaiza|Aja Grant|Joe Thornalley}} | extra1 = {{hlist|Vegyn|Grant}} | length1 = 2:04 | title2 = Angel | writer2 = {{hlist|Loaiza|Jason Kirt Simeon Fleming}} | extra2 = {{hlist|Kali Uchis|Bunx Dadda}} | length2 = 2:23 | title3 = I Want War (But I Need Peace) | writer3 = {{hlist|Loaiza|Mark Anthony Spears|Rogét Chahayed }} | extra3 = {{hlist|Sounwave|Chahayed}} | length3 = 2:39 | title4 = To Feel Alive | writer4 = Loaiza | extra4 = Uchis | length4 = 2:57 | all_writing = }}
'''Notes''' *The first three track titles are stylized in all lowercase. *"To Feel Alive" and any text within brackets are stylized in all caps.
== Personnel == Credits adapted from Tidal.<ref name="Tidal"/> * Rogét Chahayed – production, songwriting {{small|(3)}} * Bunx Dadda – production {{small|(2)}} * Jason Kirt Simeon Fleming – songwriting {{small|(2)}} * Aja Grant – production, songwriting {{small|(1)}} * Austen Jux-Chandler – additional production {{small|(1)}}, mixing {{small|(1, 2, 4)}}, engineering {{small|(3)}}, mastering {{small|(4)}} * Henry Lunetta – engineering {{small|(3)}} * Prash "Engine-Earz" Mistry – mastering {{small|(1–4)}}, mixing {{small|(3)}} * Sounwave – production, songwriting {{small|(3)}} * Joe Thornalley – songwriting {{small|(1)}} * Kali Uchis – lead vocals {{small|(all tracks)}}, songwriting {{small|(all tracks)}}, production {{small|(2, 4)}}, engineering {{small|(2, 4)}} * Vegyn – production {{small|(1)}}
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''To Feel Alive'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position |- {{album chart|BillboardCurrentAlbums|94|artist=Kali Uchis|access-date=September 20, 2025|rowheader=true}} |}
== Release history == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | Various | April 24, 2020 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | rowspan="2" | {{hlist|Virgin EMI|Interscope}} | {{center|<ref name="Tidal">{{cite web |title=TO FEEL ALIVE EP / Kali Uchis |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/137821308 |website=Tidal |accessdate=April 24, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="UMG">{{cite web |title=Kali Uchis - TO FEEL ALIVE |url=https://umusic.digital/jkzxux/ |publisher=Universal Music Group |accessdate=April 21, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=May 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507111445/https://umusic.digital/jkzxux |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} |- | October 24, 2020 | LP | {{center|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kali Uchis - To Feel Alive EP - LP|url=https://www.roughtrade.com/us/kali-uchis/to-feel-alive-ep|access-date=2020-10-01|website=Rough Trade}}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>}} |- |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Kali Uchis}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2020 EPs Category:Kali Uchis albums Category:Virgin EMI Records EPs Category:Interscope Records EPs Category:Albums produced by Rogét Chahayed Category:Albums produced by Sounwave Category:Albums produced by Vegyn