How Beautiful

Album: released as a single (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song opens with a montage of voices apologizing for their perceived shortcomings ("sorry I'm too sensitive," "sorry I'm fat"...) before the guys from On The Outside come in to offer reassurance.

    "The lyrical intent of 'How Beautiful' is to refocus the lens of what beauty is and how beauty can be found everywhere... and in everyone," they explained in a statement. "In the verses, the lyrics ask the listener to stop apologizing for not living up to unattainable standards and 'take some time to learn what's inside.' The song builds with the pre-chorus plea of 'I wish you could see what I see,' suggesting perhaps that oftentimes the glare of our own mirrors hides what makes us shine. Finally, the chorus is almost mantra-like in its simplicity posing the simple, yet often difficult question... 'do you even know just how beautiful you are?'

    The sincere hope behind 'How Beautiful' is to help reshape how we see ourselves and encourages everyone to find what makes them uniquely beautiful. If you look a little deeper, it exists in all of us."
  • "How Beautiful" was inspired by the comparison culture so pervasive on social media and fueled by marketing campaigns that present an unrealistic ideal. "The result is a society overrun with anxiety, depression, suicide, and poor self-esteem," the group explained.

    On The Outside, a LA-based quintet that formed in 2019, are quite familiar with how social media can lead to self-image problems. They're big on Instagram, where it can seem like everyone is perfect.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kristian Bush of Sugarland

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.