Aguilera’s new Beautiful video has powerful message

Christina Aguilera has released a new video for her hit Beautiful, which highlights the impact of social media on young people’s body image and mental health in the 20 years since the song was first released.

Beautiful, which was a global hit in 2002, taught a generation of young fans: “You are beautiful / no matter what they say / words can’t bring you down.”

That message has now been updated in the new video.

“In the last 20 years… social media has transformed our relationship with our bodies and, in turn, our mental health,” a message at the end reads.

“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.”

The message is accompanied by the image of a smartphone in a pool of blood.

Earlier in the video, expressionless youngsters look at their phones and do not interact with each other before being marked up for plastic surgery.

They then wipe off the marks before going to play together happily in the woods.

The issue has been a topic of concern and debate. In the UK, the recent inquest into the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell found social media content contributed “more than minimally” to her death.

Aguilera said the video’s release was to mark the 20th anniversary of her album Stripped and World Mental Health Day, encouraging her followers to “take your space, log off, put your mind, body, and soul first”.