SP
BravenNow
Linda Perry Revamps ‘Beautiful’ for 2026 — And It’s Just as Relevant Today
| USA | culture | ✓ Verified - rollingstone.com

Linda Perry Revamps ‘Beautiful’ for 2026 — And It’s Just as Relevant Today

#Linda Perry #Beautiful #Christina Aguilera #Solo album #Let It Die Here #Music video #Sara Gilbert #670 Records

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Linda Perry reimagines her song 'Beautiful' originally written for Christina Aguilera
  • The reimagined version carries a message of self-acceptance Perry believes remains relevant today
  • The music video was directed by Sara Gilbert and features Perry's child Rhodes Perry
  • Perry's new solo album 'Let It Die Here' will be released on May 8, 2026 via 670 Records

📖 Full Retelling

Linda Perry, the singer-songwriter behind Christina Aguilera's 2002 hit 'Beautiful,' released her reimagined version of the song on February 23, 2026, as the first single from her upcoming solo album 'Let It Die Here,' scheduled for May 8 release through her new 670 Records imprint. The emotional journey of revisiting the song, which Perry originally wrote for herself before giving it to Aguilera, inspired the new recording and accompanying music video directed by actress Sara Gilbert, filmed at Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley. Perry decided to reclaim the track after more than two decades to reaffirm the message of inner beauty and self-acceptance that she believes remains relevant in today's challenging social climate. Perry revealed that revisiting 'Beautiful' stirred deep emotions as she reflected on her career path following the breakup of her iconic band 4 Non-Blondes in 1995. The musician had shifted focus from performing to producing and songwriting, with her last solo album 'After Hours' released in 1999. 'I feel like when I wrote this song, I always thought it was going to be my song that was going to go Number One,' Perry shared, acknowledging her initial disappointment that the track became Aguilera's signature hit rather than her own comeback vehicle. By reclaiming the song now, Perry aims to both honor its original purpose and share its empowering message with a new generation. The accompanying music video, directed by Sara Gilbert, tells a poignant story of a young performer facing criticism before finding support. The video features Perry's child, Rhodes Perry, alongside Gilbert in a narrative about staying true to oneself despite external judgment. Filmed at Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley and inspired in part by the film 'Days of Heaven,' the visual presents a softer side of Perry, with Gilbert noting she encouraged a more vulnerable look than the musician's typical style. 'Beautiful' serves as the lead single from Perry's upcoming album, which coincides with the release of a documentary of the same name directed by Don Hardy on May 19, while fans can also anticipate a long-awaited 4 Non-Blondes reunion record in the near future.

🏷️ Themes

Music, Self-acceptance, Career reflection, Artistic reinvention

📚 Related People & Topics

Album

Album

Collection of audio recordings

An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records (78s) collected in a bound book r...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Linda Perry

Linda Perry

American singer and songwriter (born 1965)

Linda Perry (born April 15, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. She is the lead singer and primary songwriter and guitarist of 4 Non Blondes, including their 1993 hit "What's Up?". She has since founded two record labels and composed and produced songs for other a...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Beautiful

Topics referred to by the same term

Beautiful, an adjective used to describe things as possessing beauty, may refer to:

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera

American singer and songwriter (born 1980)

Christina María Aguilera ( AG-il-AIR-ə, Spanish: [kɾisˈtina maˈɾi.a aɣiˈleɾa]; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Recognized as an influential figure in music and having received widespread public interest, she is noted for her four-octave...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

No entity connections available yet for this article.

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

Linda Perry's reimagining of Beautiful underscores her return to performing after decades as a producer, highlighting the enduring relevance of the song's message about inner beauty and self-acceptance. It also signals her renewed focus on solo work and her desire to share the song's empowering themes with a new generation.

Context & Background

  • Perry co-wrote the 2002 hit Beautiful for Christina Aguilera
  • She stepped away from solo recording after 1999's After Hours to focus on songwriting and producing
  • Her new imprint 670 Records will release the upcoming album Let It Die Here in May 2026

What Happens Next

The reimagined track will serve as the lead single for Perry's forthcoming album, which will also include a documentary of the same name. A 4 Non Blondes reunion record is also slated for release, signaling a potential revival of the band.

Frequently Asked Questions

What inspired Linda Perry to revisit Beautiful?

She wanted to reclaim the song she originally wrote and feel its message again for herself and listeners.

Who directed the new music video?

Actress Sara Gilbert directed the video, featuring Perry's child Rhodes and actor Lukas Haas.

When will the new album be released?

Let It Die Here will be released on May 8 2026 through 670 Records.

Original Source
Exclusive Linda Perry Revamps ‘Beautiful’ for 2026 — And It’s Just as Relevant Today The singer-songwriter reimagines the 2002 Christina Aguilera hit for her long-awaited next solo album. Watch the video here By Brenna Ehrlich Brenna Ehrlich Contact Brenna Ehrlich on X Contact Brenna Ehrlich by Email View all posts by Brenna Ehrlich February 23, 2026 When Linda Perry recorded her version of “Beautiful,” the 2002 hit she wrote and gave to Christina Aguilera , she thought she was just revisiting an old song. As she dug into the grooves of that ode to inner beauty, though, she found herself getting emotional. “I feel like when I wrote this song, I always thought it was going to be my song that was going to go Number One,” she says. “It was going to be me singing it. It was going to be my comeback song. Not that I went anywhere, but it was going to be my solo journey song that was going to put me on the chart and make me a big superstar. And I had to go through a lot of emotions to let that song go to Christina.” After the breakup of Perry’s iconic band 4 Non-Blondes — and the 1992 release of their hit debut, Bigger, Better, Faster, More! — the musician opted to get more into producing and songwriting rather than recording her own music, a decision she’s grappled with since. Her last solo album, After Hours , dropped in 1999. By reclaiming Aguilera’s song, however, Perry found herself reflecting on the track with less regret than purpose — to get that 20-plus-old message out once more, not just for the fans, but herself. “I’m sharing the sentiment that I still believe today,” she says. “In this time, it is very hard to be yourself. Inside, I’m seven feet tall and I’m extremely powerful. I think it’s important to get the message out that we are amazing. Don’t get distracted by what you think people see, only stay with what you feel inside truly, because that is the truth.” Perry is dropping her reimagined version of “Beautiful” today, along with a dreamy music video dire...
Read full article at source

Source

rollingstone.com

More from USA

News from Other Countries

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇦 Ukraine