Pretty Hurts
The song was performed by Beyonce and written by Sia under the Columbia label in 2014.
I think the message behind the song is that there is a lot of pressure to feel pretty on the outside, even if on the inside we are all falling apart. In today’s society, with all the social media, it’s hard to look beyond the surface and we compare ourselves to others so much. The message behind the song is that beauty on the outside is not worth losing your happiness. It also portrays many unhealthy habits in the video of how some women attempt to fit certain expectations of beauty standards.
The song is performed by an incredibly popular musician, which can draw attention quickly because you’re always waiting for the next big thing from a favorite artist. The lyrics are catchy and in the lyrics, you hear common phrases used in the beauty industry; she even refers to Vogue magazine. In the music video itself, it has a long intro, which can intrigue some people into seeing what will happen next. It uses the backdrop of beauty pageants, and in the intro, you see how unhappy the girls are which matches the tone of the music. The video is darker in color which resonates with the lyrics as well.
It might be difficult for some to accept the message because although it is a valuable lesson to consider your mental wellness over your outer beauty, the song is performed by a beautiful and wealthy singer. Yes, she faces pressure to look and act a certain way, but she may not be relatable in the sense of everyday struggles with beauty expectations. In the video, it portrays women in the pageant industry, and everyday women struggle with these same expectations, too, which is not perceived in this particular video.