▁the ▁Picture " ▁and ▁a ired ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Background ▁" Self machine " ▁is ▁a ▁song ▁about ▁al ien ation ; ▁lead ▁singer ▁C oco ▁Sum ner ▁told ▁The ▁Independent ▁that ▁she ▁rel ates ▁to ▁the ▁l onel iness ▁of ▁the ▁robot ▁described ▁in ▁the ▁song , ▁saying , ▁" This ▁little ▁robot ▁can ' t ▁em path ise ▁with ▁anything ▁but ▁himself , ▁so ▁he ▁feels ▁really ▁sorry ▁for ▁himself . ▁Then ▁everyone ▁leaves ▁him ▁because ▁he ▁is ▁self ish , ▁but ▁he ▁can ' t ▁help ▁it , ▁because ▁he ▁is ▁just ▁a ▁robot ▁and ▁program med ▁that ▁way ." ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁the ▁Even ing ▁Standard , ▁Sum ner ▁explained ▁that ▁the ▁song ▁is ▁not ▁about ▁her ▁own ▁feelings ▁so ▁much ▁as ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁title ▁character , ▁W ALL - E , ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁P ix ar ▁movie ▁W ALL - E . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁Digital ▁Sp y ' s ▁Nick ▁Lev ine ▁awarded ▁the ▁song ▁four ▁out ▁of ▁five ▁stars , ▁calling ▁it ▁" a ▁per col ating ▁elect rop op ▁d itt y ▁with ▁intr igu ing ▁lyr ics ▁about ▁a ▁' lon ely ▁robot ▁in ▁a ▁was t eland ', ▁a ▁nice ▁bit ▁of ▁SA W - style ▁vocal ▁trick ery — yes , ▁really ! — and ▁a ▁ch orus ▁mel ody ▁that ▁fl ir ts ▁with ▁br ill iance ." ▁Ben ▁We isz ▁of ▁music OM