The song has also been used in the film Pitch Perfect 3, where actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld provided the lead vocals.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Daya stated "It's about being a girl that goes after her own dreams and really fights for what she wants, and not letting anyone get in the way of that.

"[5] Dana Getz of Entertainment Weekly writes it "relegates [good boys] to the sidelines" and further labeled it a "bouncy, eff–you jaunt".

[4] Idolator's Mike Wass calls the chorus "empowering" and stated "['Sit Still, Look Pretty'] picks up where 'Hide Away' left off — in that it's a little rebellious and a lot relatable.

"[5] Billboard ranked "Sit Still, Look Pretty" at number 47 on their "100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list.