Beautiful (Akon song)

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"Beautiful"
Single by Akon featuring Colby O'Donis and Kardinal Offishall
from the album Freedom
Released January 6, 2009 US
January 8, 2009 California
September 5, 2009 United Kingdom
Format CD single, digital download
Genre R&B, dance-pop, hip hop
Length 5:12
Label Konvict Muzik/Universal Motown
Writer(s) Colby Colón, Jason Harrow, Aliaune Thiam, Jaylien Wesley, Giorgio Tuinfort
Producer Aliaune Thiam
Akon singles chronology
"Troublemaker"
(2008)		 "Beautiful"
(2009)		 "We Don't Care"
(2009)
Colby O'Donis singles chronology
"Don't Turn Back"
(2008)		 "Beautiful"
(2009)		 "I Go Crazy"
(2009)
Kardinal Offishall singles chronology
"Numba 1 (Tide Is High)"
(2008)		 "Beautiful"
(2009)		 "Put Your Drinks Up"
(2009)
Dulce María singles chronology
"Beautiful"
(2009)		 "Inevitable"
(2010)

"Beautiful" is the third single from Akon's third studio album Freedom. The song features American pop singer, Colby O'Donis and a rap verse from Canadian rapper, Kardinal Offishall. The song describes being in a nightclub and seeing a person that the singer is attracted to, but feeling shy to approach her due to her beauty. "Beautiful" was released to radio on January 6, 2009.

Contents

[edit] Official versions

Multiple versions of the song have been recorded. The main version of the song, which features on all copies of Freedom, features both Colby O'Donis and Kardinal Offshall. Two Latin American versions of the song were recorded in Late 2008; the first featuring ex-RBD singer Dulce María, and the second featuring Brazilian hip hop singer Negra Li. A Japanese version of the song, featuring both BoA and Kardinal Offshall was recorded in March 2009 and included as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Freedom. The Dutch version of the song features additional vocals from rapper Brace, but still includes the verses sung by Colby O'Donis. The Canadian version of the song features Colby O'Donis only, however includes extra verses sung by Akon and an instrumental breakdown not featured in any other version of the song. A British-only version of the song was due to be released, and featured vocals from Rachel Hylton and Charlie Bloxham - however, this version remains unreleased for reasons unknown.

[edit] Music video

Akon posted a video on YouTube on December 2, 2008 showing the recording of the song. The official video was made available in early January, and featured the winner of an MTV contest in a guest appearance. Colby O'Donis, Kardinal Offishall, Tyrese, and A. R. Rahman all make appearances. The video was directed by Gil Green and premiered on Yahoo! Music on February 24.[1] On the same day, it was added to the iTunes store for download. The video was re-edited for the Latin American versions of the song, with a separate video for each applicable version.

[edit] Cover versions

Several cover versions of the song have been recorded. The most notable version of the song is by Sri-Lankan pop group Gravity, who performed the song live at the 2009 premier music competition "TNL Onstage"", resulting in it soon becoming the most aired track on TNL Radio during the months that followed.[2] Australian Clare Bowditch also included a cover of the song as a bonus track on her 2010 studio album Modern Day Addiction.

[edit] Chart performance

"Beautiful" managed to become a top twenty hit in 2008 the previous year before its official release. Due to high digital sales, the song debuted at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of December 20, 2008, the week following the release of Freedom. It is Akon's eighth top twenty hit as a lead artist, and his seventeenth top twenty overall. It debuted at #7 on the Hot Digital Songs chart, selling over 91,000 downloads that week. It also made a #25 debut on the Pop 100 chart the same week. On the Canadian Hot 100 chart, it debuted at #16. The single also reached #30 on the UK Singles Chart on March 1, 2009, and has so far peaked at #8 and #3 on the UK R&B Chart. Even though the song has received very little airplay in Australia it has charted on the ARIA singles chart peaking at #14 and on the ARIA Urban Charts, it has reached #7. On the New Zealand Top 40, it debuted at #39, then peaked at #13.

[edit] Tracklisting

  • UK & Europe CD Single[3]
  1. "Beautiful" (Feat. Colby O'Donis & Kardinal Offishall) - 5:13
  2. "I'm So Paid" (Feat. Lil Wayne & Young Jeezy) - 4:29

[edit] Charts

Chart (2008–2009) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 38
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[6] 16
Czech Republic (IFPI)[7] 18
European Hot 100 Singles[8] 29
Germany (Media Control AG)[9] 34
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[10] 2
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 13
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[12] 24
New Zealand (RIANZ)[13] 13
Norway (VG-lista)[14] 16
Slovakia (IFPI)[15] 22
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 28
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 34
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[18] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 19
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 61
US Pop Songs (Billboard)[21] 11
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[22] 5

[edit] Certifications

Country Certification
(sales thresholds)
Australia Platinum[23]

[edit] Year-end charts

End of year chart (2009) Position
Australian Singles Chart 65[24]
Hungarian Singles Chart[25] 11
New Zealand Singles Chart[26] 46
UK Singles Chart[27] 49
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 54[28]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Beautiful by Akon Music Video on Yahoo! Music". New.music.yahoo.com. http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/--206066787. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  2. ^ "Gravity". Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gravity/178591288228. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  3. ^ "Akon Featuring Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis - Beautiful (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2009-04-09. http://www.discogs.com/Akon-Featuring-Kardinal-Offishall-Colby-ODonis-Beautiful/release/1735205. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  4. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien.
  5. ^ "Ultratop.be – Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  6. ^ "Akon Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Akon. Prometheus Global Media.
  7. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200915 into search.
  8. ^ "Akon Album & Song Chart History" European Hot 100 for Akon. Prometheus Global Media.
  9. ^ "Kardinal Offishall/Beautiful+%282-track%29/single Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  10. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  11. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  13. ^ "Charts.org.nz – Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful". VG-lista. Hung Medien.
  15. ^ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200909 into search.
  16. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien.
  17. ^ "Akon feat. Kardinal Offishall & Colby O'Donis – Beautiful – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien.
  18. ^ "Chart Stats – Akon – Beautiful" UK Singles Chart. Chart Stats.
  19. ^ "Akon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Akon. Prometheus Global Media.
  20. ^ "Akon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Akon. Prometheus Global Media.
  21. ^ "Akon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Akon. Prometheus Global Media.
  22. ^ "Akon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play for Akon. Prometheus Global Media.
  23. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.aupageshttpwww.aria.com.aupageshttpwww.aria.com.aupagesARIACharts-Accr.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-29. 
  24. ^ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2009". ARIA. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2009.htm. Retrieved November 6, 2010. 
  25. ^ "Éves összesített listák - MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 (súlyozott)". Mahasz. Mahasz. http://www.mahasz.hu/?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=eves_osszesitett_listak&id=radios&ev=2009. 
  26. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Rianz.org.nz. http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart_annual.asp. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  27. ^ "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusYE2009.pdf. Retrieved 2010-07-19. 
  28. ^ "Year End Charts - Year-end songs - The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/charts-year-end/hot-100-songs?year=2009#/charts-year-end/hot-100-songs?year=2009. Retrieved November 6, 2010. 
Akon
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"Just Dance" · "Beautiful"
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"Northern Touch" · "Money Jane" · "Back for More" · "Carnival Girl" · "Beautiful" · "Freak" · "Wavin' Flag" · "So Much" · "Ghetto Love"
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