Pop superstar Beyoncé’s influence around the world has garnered the icon the cover of this year’s TIME 100, and to celebrate the honor the “Drunk In Love” singer debuted the official music video for “Pretty Hurts,” the opening track to her fifth, self-titled studio album, exclusively on the magazine’s website. The ballad, which had previously only been available on her “visual album,” finds Beyoncé exploring the definition of pretty and the pressures placed on women to meet physical standards.
The 7-minute clip opens with beauty pageant contestants primping backstage. After being introduced as Miss 3rd Ward, Beyoncé takes the stage and belts out the song’s opening hook a cappella. From there Beyoncé goes through the intense, borderline violent motions of pageantry prep. She works out ceaselessly, pops diet pills, gets sprayed with tanning lotion, endures a pestering coach and forces herself to throw up. Watch the intense, touching “Pretty Hurts” video, which features a cameo from Harvey Keitel, below.
The release of the “Pretty Hurts” video has led to a new campaign called, “What Is Pretty?” To help promote the video and its body-positive message, Beyoncé and TIME are asking fans to upload photos or videos to Instagram using the hashtag #WhatIsPretty.
You can visit WhatIsPretty.com to find out more about the campaign.
“Pretty Hurts” is the third single off of Beyoncé groundbreaking self-titled album, following “XO” and “Drunk In Love” which features rhymes from heavy-weight rapper and husband Jay Z.
