"Scars To Your Beautiful" is the final single and tenth track from Alessia Cara's debut studio album, Know-It-All. It was released on November 13, 2015, through Def Jam Recordings and Universal Music Group. The song was written by Cara, Warren Felder, Andrew Wansel, Coleridge Tillman and DJ Frank E, and produced by Pop & Oak and the latter two.
Background[]
In an interview with Idolator's Mike Wass, Cara stated about the song,
"Basically, that song is about body image. It's directed at women, but I think men can relate to it as well. It's just a song about these things that certain women go through on a daily basis in order to feel loved or in order to love themselves. I think that's such a thing that goes on in today's world. These weird things are instilled in us. You know? They tell us that we’re not good enough or that there's only one kind of beauty. This song basically is contradicting that idea. It's saying, 'Well, if the world doesn't like how you look then they should change. They should change their perspective. You don’t have to change yourself.' I mean, I thought that that was important, you know, just to put out next. Especially because I think that's kind of the direction we're going in, you know, with 'Here'. 'Here' was about not belonging anywhere and 'Wild Things' was about finding a space you belong. Now 'Scars To Your Beautiful' is basically about embracing yourself and finally coming to that conclusion where you feel love and you can love yourself. I think it's cool to put out third because I feel like I have a bigger platform now. The point of the song is to reach as many women, or people, as possible."[1]
Lyrics[]
She just wants to be beautiful
She goes unnoticed, she knows no limits
She craves attention, she praises an image
She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor
Oh, she don't see the light that's shining
Deep within the eyes, can't find it
Maybe we have made her blind
So she tries to cover up her pain and cuddle woes away
Cause cover girls don't cry after their face is made
But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark
You should know you're beautiful just the way you are
And you don't have to change a thing
The world could change its heart
No scars till you're beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful
And you don't have to change a thing
The world could change its heart
No scars till you're beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful
She has dreams to be an envy, so she's starving
You know, cover girls eat nothing
She says "beauty is pain and there's beauty in everything
What's a little bit of hunger?"
I could go a little while longer, she fades away
She don't see her perfect, she don't understand she's worth it
Or that beauty goes deep within the surface
So to all the girls that's hurting
Let me be your mirror, help you see a little bit clearer
The light that shine's within
There's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark
You should know you're beautiful just the way you are
And you don't have to change a thing
The world could change its heart
No scars till you're beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful
No better you than the you that you are
No better life thnt the life we're living
No better time for your shine, you're a star
Oh, you're beautiful, oh, you're beautiful
And there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark
You should know you're beautiful just the way you are
And you don't have to change a thing
The world could change its heart
No scars till you're beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful
And you don't have to change a thing
The world could change its heart
No scars till you're beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful
Music video[]
The music video was published on July 11, 2016, with a cameo appearance by singer JoJo.[2]
Background[]
On the concept of the music video, Cara said in an interview with Cosmopolitan: "I wanted to do this kind of video for a very long time. Since we had this song — and since we knew it was going to be a single — I had this vision of many different cinematic shots of different kinds of people. I wanted all kinds of people — young, old, whatever their situation, whether it's visible scars, non-visible scars — just a bunch of different women, and there are some men in there as well because it can reach out to guys too. But I wanted real shots of real people telling their stories, and showing the story through little vignettes."[3]
Chart Performance[]
It peaked at number eight and thus became Alessia Cara's second top-ten single on US Billboard Hot 100.
Critical reception[]
The Guardian's Kitty Empire said that "There's a substance on Scars to Your Beautiful, where Cara tackles the beauty myth à la Beyoncé. The verses pack some good stuff – 'What's a little bit of hunger? I can go a little bit longer.'" and later went on to say "the thumping motivational chorus merely suggests we are all-stars."[4] Katy Iandoli of Idolator stated "Scars to Your Beautiful is a modern-day version of TLC's 'Unpretty', in its acknowledgment of the beauty in both visible and invisible imperfections."[5]
Billboard ranked "Scars to Your Beautiful" at number 77 on their Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016: Critics' Picks" list, commenting “Body-positivity anthems typically don't get this dark, but on "Scars To Your Beautiful," Alessia Cara isn't afraid to talk cutting, tears and eating disorders, before getting to the uplifting chorus, where she delivers some of the most empowering, horizon-expanding lyrics of this year: ‘You don't have to change a thing / The world could change its heart.’”[6]
Usage in media[]
The song is featured in the television shows The Bold Type and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
The song was used in the international trailer of A Wrinkle in Time,[7] as well as the background music for the introduction video of Dirt Rally 2.0.
In 2018, the song was featured in television commercials for ULTA Beauty.
Remixes[]
Five remixes were released on Cara's VEVO channel.
References[]
- ↑ "Alessia Cara On Touring With Coldplay & Her Next Single - Idolator"
- ↑ "Scars To Your Beautiful - Alessia Cara - Vevo"
- ↑ "Alessia Cara 'Scars To Your Beautiful' Video - Alessia Cara Interview"
- ↑ "Know-It-All by Alessa Cara review - teen rebel in search of better cause"
- ↑ "Alessia Cara's 'Know-It-All': Album Review - Idolator"
- ↑ "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016: Critics' Picks"
- ↑ "A Wrinkle in Time International Trailer #1 (2018)"
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Credits | Certifications | Charts
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