He was eventually "won over" by Jepsen's demonstration of her vocal ability and work ethic, and credited her with genuine intentions of "[developing] a new aesthetic" versus pursuing "Pitchfork-approved artists" for the sake of indie credibility.

[8] Jepsen was sent a demo of "All That" where she wrote the bridge and produced the vocals herself, and Ariel Rechtshaid was brought in for additional work.

[11] In 2016, she performed the song at the YouTube Space in Los Angeles[12] and Pitchfork Music Festival,[13] both times accompanied by Dev Hynes.

Pitchfork Media awarded "All That" their "Best New Track" feature, calling the song's conclusion a "tour de force climax".

They add that the chorus has "innocence set against its absence" and makes "finding a friend feels like a profound step beyond becoming lovers".