Beyoncé made a bold, feminist statement when she released “Pretty Hurts” as a single from her self-titled 2013 album. The song was notoriously pitched to fellow pop superstars Rihanna and Katy Perry before it made its way to Queen Bee. Sia had already started working on the song before it was pitched to Beyoncé, with the final version co-written by Sia, Beyoncé, and Joshua “Ammo” Coleman, the latter two also serving as producers.
Videos by American Songwriter
Meaning Behind the Song
The song’s origins begin two years prior to its release at Sia’s Los Angeles apartment where she started writing the song, recording a demo of it the same day she recorded her vocals for what would be her breakthrough hit, “Titanium” with David Guetta. The lyrics call out the stereotypical objectification of a woman who places more value on looks than intelligence. Pretty hurts/We shine the light on whatever’s worst/Perfection is a disease of a nation/Pretty hurts, pretty hurts, Beyoncé proclaims in the chorus.
“‘Pretty Hurts’ was such an incredible song. It’s really difficult to find a song with such a strong message that doesn’t feel preachy,” Beyoncé explained of why she was drawn to the track. “Sia is such a genius.” Despite not having been involved with the first draft, the superstar said she knew “Pretty Hurts” was a message she felt compelled to share. “The second I heard the song I’m like, ‘I have to sing this song. I don’t care how hard I have to fight for this song, this is my song,'” she says with a laugh.
[RELATED: Did You Know? Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts” Was Written for This Pop Singer]
The Video
The video, directed by Melina Matsoukas, took the song to new heights. Beyonce says she had a vision about beauty pageants when hearing the song, reflected in such lyrics as, Just another stage / Pageant the pain away / This time I’m gonna take the crown / Without falling down.
“I thought about the most humiliating, judgmental place you can be as a woman,” the singer describes of the video’s concept that takes place at a beauty pageant. “I feel like sometimes the world is a big contest. We’re all being judged. I wanted to capture how humiliating and how insecure that makes you feel. Melina was able to capture that emotion and capture the extremes that we feel like we have to go through to please the people that judge us.”
Though “Pretty Hurts” failed to make an impression on the Billboard Hot 100, it did reach No. 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart. The video won Best Video With a Social Message and Best Cinematography at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards.
Photo by Kevin Winter/PW18/Getty Images for Parkwood Entertainment
