Christina Aguilera addresses the impact of social media in her new video
(Picture: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for ABA)Christina Aguilera has celebrated the 20th anniversary of her seminal hit Beautiful by releasing a new music video for the track about self-acceptance.
The Grammy-winning artist unveiled the updated music video for the song, which first appeared on her 2002 album, Stripped, on Wednesday.
Although Aguilera doesn’t appear in it, the Fiona Jane Burgess-directed video now reflects the impact of social media on mental health, particularly among young people.
The new video shows young girls with their faces made up as if they are preparing to undergo cosmetic surgery while, in another shot, a teenage boy appears to contemplate suicide.
Viewers also see a room filled with ballerinas who are mesmerised by their screens and concludes with a shot of a mobile phone poignantly steeped in a pool of blood.
At the end, a message appears on screen, reading: “In the last 20 years, since ‘Stripped’ was first released, social media has transformed our relationship with our bodies, and in turn, our mental health.
“Research suggests that time spent on social-networking sites is associated with body-image issues, self-harm, and disordered eating in children and teens. This needs to change.”
After the video was released, Aguilera said she was aiming “to bring awareness and a sense of compassion in the face of judgment, criticism, and outside opinions” by giving Beautiful a 2022 update.
She penned on Instagram: “Today, it’s harder than ever to hear our own voice amongst so many others infiltrating our feeds and minds with mixed messaging... ultimately leading us to tune-out our own truth and self-worth.
“The original ’Beautiful video set out to bring awareness and a sense of compassion in the face of judgment, criticism, and outside opinions.
“It still carries an important message to remember our core values outside of what’s being fed to us… to find a sense of balance and accepting ourselves for who we are.”
