FEATURE:
Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
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IN this feature…
I have included quite a few Pop hits. I shall broaden out in future instalments, as there are songs from across the musical map that some refer to as guilty pleasures. One artist who has a few songs that divide people is Christina Aguilera. Her smash, Beautiful, has appeared on one or two lists of ‘guilty pleasure’ songs. Perhaps those who are not a fan of Aguilera’s might not be instantly taken with the track – though I feel it is a great song that should not be seen as embarrassing or inferior in any way! In fact, the song was extremely well-received well it was released in 2002. The second single from the excellent (and underrated) Stripped album (2002), this was a Pop superstar showing huge maturity and ability. On an album that had some raw and sexual moments, Beautiful offered something emotional, hugely inspiring and different. It is no wonder that the song resonated. It is a shame that, because Aguilera is a Pop artist and some people write off her music because of that, Beautiful is not given that much time. It is a song that has helped many people – given them strength and hope at such a dark time. I want to bring in a few articles that look at Beautiful and its impact. In terms of its success and reception, Beautiful is a real marvel:
"Beautiful" has been widely embraced as an anthem by the LGBT community for its message of self-empowerment and inner beauty. An accompanying music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, and earned Aguilera a GLAAD Media Award for its positive portrayal of gay and transgender people. In 2011, UK LGBT rights organization Stonewall named "Beautiful" the most empowering song of the previous decade for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. In 2009, Rolling Stone and VH1 listed it as one of the best songs of the 2000s. The song is regarded as one of Aguilera's signature songs and has been covered on numerous occasions and featured on several television shows.
"Beautiful" received universal acclaim from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic commended the song for not following the "club and street-level R&B, which fit her poorly". Similarly, a reviewer from Billboard described "Beautiful" as a "single-worthy ballad" from a record of "pleasantly surprising depth". In a separate review, Chuck Taylor from the same magazine deemed the song "breathtaking", and highlighted its melody and lyrical message. Entertainment Weekly's David Browne called the song one of Stripped's "moments", noting that it is "more restrained" than the other songs from the album. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine commented that the collaboration with Linda Perry found Aguilera "truly naked" and reflective of the album's title. Stylus Magazine's Todd Burns gave Stripped a negative review, but complimented "Beautiful" for "tastefully [reining] in Aguilera's frequent vocal acrobatics". Jane Dark of The Village Voice compared the song to the works of Mariah Carey "made back when she was a natural", and the Attitude magazine called it "universal". The Advocate's Larry Flick named "Beautiful" a "Beatlesque ballad" and the "great queer anthem of 2003”. He also listed it as one of the best songs of the year. In contrast, Amanda Murray from Sputnikmusic criticized the "platitude-drenched" lyrics but praised the overall production. At the 2004 Grammy Awards, "Beautiful" won the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was nominated for Song of the Year”.
It was legendary songwriter Linda Perry who actually penned the song. The former 4 Non Blondes’ lead has written some huge hits (including Get the Party Started by P!nk). This article gets Perry’s thoughts regarding one of her best-known tracks:
“The second single from her bold and daring Stripped album, Beautiful's message of self-love was easier on the ears than its predecessor Dirrty (released three months earlier), but it was no less controversial.
The song was written and produced by 4 Non Blondes frontman Linda Perry, who had originally intended for it to be her own solo comeback single. Speaking to ASCAP about the track's conception, she said: "I had been doing these rehearsals because I was gonna do a showcase for all these labels. I had written songs that I was really proud of. Beautiful was one of them - it was gonna be my comeback song."
The final version of Christina's Beautiful, Perry says, was the original demo recorded at her house where the pair first met. "I had a long conversation with my manager about it" she said of whether to let go of the song. "We both decided to hear Christina sing it. We demoed the song with her singing it, and I was like, 'Wow.' That rough vocal is what is out there on radio. It was that vocal that got her the song."
Beautiful spent two weeks at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart, holding off competition from DJ Sammy's Boys Of Summer and Dannii Minogue's I Begin To Wonder in the process. The song has sold 380,000 in the UK and racked up 11.1 million plays on streaming services since records began in 2014.
It also won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was nominated for Song Of The Year, while its impact on the LGBTQ community inspired a generation; the rarely-seen positive portrayal of gay and transgender people in the music video won it a GLAAD Media Award.
Beautiful remains Christina's last chart-topper in the UK. She's come close to the top of several occasions, including 2006's Ain't No Other Man (2), Maroon 5 collaboration Moves Like Jagger (2) in 2011 and Say Something (4), a duet with US group A Great Big World in 2014”.
I am going to wrap up in a minute. One of the most memorable aspects of Beautiful is its video. There are some powerful images to be seen. It is a video that has lost none of its importance and potency nearly two decades later. Bustler highlighted some of the most notable scenes from the video. I have mentioned a few of them:
“It's a time we should all remember fondly: When Christina Aguilera shot the music video for “Beautiful” in 2002, she was fully engaged in her Xtina mode — but it became quickly evident that there was more to her edgier alter ego than her sass, her barely-there clothing, and her seductive/sexual dance moves. As the fourth single off her Stripped album, "Beautiful" was extremely raw, and depicted Aguilera as a vulnerable, relatable individual with struggles that are often masked by pop stardom. However, the intense video that accompanied the single is what truly set it apart from many of her previous musical efforts.
Obviously this song and video spoke to anyone who has dealt with self-loathing, and no matter if the culprit for your emotional funk is a bad hair day, or the negativity stems from something much deeper, Aguilera’s “Beautiful” video is basically a visual pick-me-up. Through vivid imagery depicting a myriad of personal struggles, it aims to inspire tons of people to embark upon a path of self-acceptance. Whether the number one enemy you face is society or inner feelings of inadequacy that thrive in a dark corner of your subconscious, the video still delivers its message of acceptance for all, loud and clear.
The burning magazines made a bold statement that totally reflected the song's lyric, "You are beautiful, no matter what they say."
This scene of a young woman struggling with an eating disorder was one of the video's most powerful images.
The "Beautiful" video came to a beautiful, full circle close with a fully bloomed sunflower”.
If you are someone who has always thought Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful is a guilty pleasure or song that is best avoided, I would encourage you to give it another spin. The whole Stripped album is one that was unfairly judged and did not receive the acclaim that it warranted back in 2002. Beautiful is a song that is sincere and can be appreciated by so many people. Whether you are going through struggles or not, the lyrics and stunning performance by Aguilera cannot help but affect the senses. I think that a song like Beautiful should be shown…
A lot of love.