Beautiful People
“Beautiful People” is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran featuring American singer Khalid. Atlantic Records released it on 28 June 2019, as the third single from his fourth studio album No.6 Collaborations Project (2019). It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in July 2019, becoming the second single from the album to reach the summit of the chart.
Background and promotion
“Beautiful People” was announced as part of the tracklist for No.6 Collaborations Project (2019). Ed Sheeran revealed the song’s artwork and release date on 23 June 2019. Footage of it being recorded in a studio was released in the following days leading up to its release.
Beautiful People composition
According to Rolling Stone’s Althea Legaspi, “Beautiful People” is about “remaining true to yourself and not trying to become one of those so-called ‘beautiful people’ obsessed with material things and stature”, and has a composition of “pretty vocal harmonies, a winsome melody and handclap-enhanced rhythms”.
Idolator’s Mike Nied wrote that the song sees the singers “address fears of losing sight of themselves in an image-obsessed crowd”. “Beautiful People” is performed in the key of Eb major and follows a chord progression of Eb–Cm–Ab with a tempo of 100 beats per minute in common time.
Reception
Mitch Findlay of HotNewHipHop wrote that the singers “make for a formidable pair of young songwriters, arguably some of the pop landscape’s best”, predicting that “‘Beautiful People’ will likely enjoy a lofty future on the pop charts”.
HipHop-N-More’s Navjosh called the song “a chilled-out track which has the potential to impact both pop and R&B fans”. Rap-Up called it a “breezy duet”, and added that “Khalid is also equally unfazed by the glitterati”.
Beautiful People Video
The official music video accompanying it was teased a day before its 28 June release.
In the music video, the film opens with a mousy, average-looking couple waiting in line with their luggage at a small airport. After being approached by a pair of airport personnel, they are directed to a long white limousine waiting outside.
The couple hesitantly enters the limousine, where they eat snacks they packed and notice other fancy cars driving past them, apparently heading to the same destination.
As the video continues, the couple finds themselves at a series of fancy, expensive places filled with beautiful people: a pool party beside a mansion, a yacht-filled with models, a fashion show, and a house party.
Surrounded by wealth, indulgence, and beauty, the couple reacts to everything with cautious interest, but spend most of their time focused on each other.
At the end of the video, the couple flies home on a private plane, and upon landing at the airport, they are offered a ride in a nice car. The couple decline, take hands, and head for the airport bus instead.
Credits and personnel
- Ed Sheeran – vocals, songwriter, producer
- Khalid – featured vocals, songwriter
- Max Martin – songwriter, producer
- Shellback – songwriter, producer, guitar, programmer
- Fred Gibson – backing vocals, songwriter, producer, programmer, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, engineer
- Alex Gibson – additional production
- Serban Ghenea – mixer
- Denis Kosiak – engineer
- Joe Rubel – engineer
- John Hanes – engineer
- Michael Ilbert – engineer
- Stuart Hawkes – masterer
Beautiful People Lyrics
Sundown and they all come out
Lamborghinis and their rented Hummers
The party’s on, so they’re headin’ downtown
(‘Round here) everybody’s lookin’ for a come up
And they wanna know what you’re about
Me in the middle with the one I love and
We’re just tryna figure everything out
‘Cause we are just ourselves
I could use some help
Gettin’ out of this conversation, yeah
You look stunning, dear
So don’t ask that question here
This is my only fear, that we become
Drop top, designer clothes
Front row at fashion shows
“What d’you do?” And, “Who d’you know?”
Inside the world of beautiful people
Champagne and rolled-up notes
Prenups and broken homes
Surrounded, but still alone
Let’s leave the party
(We are, we are, we are)
We are not beautiful
Yeah, that’s not who we are
(We are, we are, we are)
We are not beautiful
Drove for hours last night and we made it nowhere (nowhere, nowhere)
I see stars in your eyes when we’re halfway there (all night)
I’m not fazed by all them lights and flashin’ cameras (uh)
‘Cause with my arms around you, there’s no need to care
We are just ourselves
I could use some help
Gettin’ out of this conversation, yeah
You look stunning, dear
So don’t ask that question here
This is my only fear, that we become
Drop top, designer clothes
Front row at fashion shows
“What d’you do?” And “Who d’you know?”
Inside the world of beautiful people
Champagne and rolled-up notes
Prenups and broken homes
Surrounded, but still alone
Let’s leave the party
(We are, we are, we are)
We are not beautiful, yeah
Yeah, that’s not who we are
(We are, we are, we are)
We are not beautiful
We are not beautiful