Beautifully Unconventional

"Beautifully Unconventional" premiered on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show on 14 August 2017, and subsequently released for digital download and streaming services.[1] Rowsell said she wrote the song about one of her friends: "My feelings towards her reminded me of the film Heathers, where everyone is a Heather and you find your other non-Heather… a 'you can be my partner in crime', sorta thing."[2]

The band performed the song live for the first time on 26 July at the Echo in Los Angeles. It has since been part of their setlist on tour.[3] The song was also part of the band's Live Lounge session on 19 September.[4] On 17 October, they performed the song on Later... with Jools Holland.[5]

"Beautifully Unconventional" is based around a "chunky guitar line." Will Richards of DIY compared the song to American singer Beck, and noted the influence on the song from the song's producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, who's best known for his work with the singer.[6] Orignte classified the song as indie rock,[7] while the Guardian's Dave Simpson characterized it as pop-funk, later stating that it "might even have a faint melodic nod to Aretha Franklin's Respect."[8] NME's Will Butler noted that the song "leans closer to the softer, warmer and catchy stylings of 'Don't Delete the Kisses' than it does the furious, punk sputter of 'Yuk Foo'."[1]

Drowned in Sound's Dom Gourlay said the song "finds the band traversing the world of pop at its most conventional. Once again highlighting Rowsell's gift for observational storytelling, it's a delightful spanner in the works that draws several hundred gasps of adulation from those present."[9] Robin Murry of Clash said the song is "a rallying cry, the choppy guitar lines proving to be overpowering without every venturing into the obvious," continuing: "The stuttering vocal continually reaches outwards, and we can already see this becoming a live anthem."[10] Dork wrote, "it's a retro-cinematic delight. An earworm fed on other, lesser siblings, it has a confident, Diet Coke commercial strut. It knows it looks good, and it's not afraid to flaunt it."[11]

A 50s-inspired music video for the song was uploaded the band's Vevo channel on YouTube on 11 September 2017.[12] Rowsell told the Fader regarding the video that the song is "a celebration of all your non-conforming friends; a celebration of individuality and the adventures that come with embracing that. For me personally, I imagined me and my mate Hannah as Christian Slater and Winona Rider in Heathers (albeit looking nothing like them). The video has nothing to do with the song — I just didn't want to have a mullet anymore, seeing as lots of people tore me to pieces in our last video, so it was an excuse to wear a wig."[13]