Pretty Hurts
Chloe and Halle Lyrics

Mama said, "You're a pretty girl
Mama told her that she is physically attractive

What's in your head, it doesn't matter
Mama implied that her inner thoughts and feelings don't hold importance

Brush your hair, fix your teeth
Mama encouraged her to focus on her physical appearance, such as grooming and dental care

What you wear is all that matters"
Mama emphasized the significance of her clothing choices as the only important thing

Just another stage pageant the pain away
Participating in beauty pageants is seen as a way to distract oneself from pain

This time I'm gonna take the crown
She is determined to win the pageant

Without falling down, down, down
She wants to achieve success without experiencing any setbacks or failures

Pretty hurts
Being physically attractive can cause emotional pain

We shine the light on whatever's worst
The media highlights and focuses on the flaws and imperfections in people's appearances

Perfection is a disease of a nation
The desire for perfection in society is seen as a harmful and widespread problem

Tryna fix something
Attempting to improve and alter one's appearance

But you can't fix what you can't see
It is impossible to change or improve something that is not visible or acknowledged

It's the soul that needs a surgery
The inner self, the soul, is in need of healing and restoration

Blonder hair, flat chest
The media promotes the belief that having blonde hair and a small chest is desirable

TV says bigger is better
Television advertisements enforce the idea that a larger size is preferable

South beach, sugar-free
The media promotes the idea that the ideal body type can be achieved through strict diets like the South Beach Diet, which avoids sugar

Vogue says thinner is better
Fashion magazines like Vogue perpetuate the notion that being thinner is superior

Ain’t got no doctor or pill that
There is no medical solution to relieve the emotional pain

Can take the pain away
No external relief can eliminate the internal suffering

The pain's inside and nobody frees
The pain is internal, and no one can release or alleviate it

You from your body, it's the soul
No one can separate you from your physical body; the soul is the true source of healing

Plastic smiles and denial can only
Putting on fake smiles and denying the pain can only offer temporary relief

Take you so far
These coping mechanisms can only provide limited comfort

Then you break when the fake façade
Eventually, you collapse when the false exterior crumbles

Leaves you in the dark
You are left in a state of confusion and sadness

You're left with shattered mirrors and the
All that remains are broken reflections and

Shards of a beautiful past
Fragments of a once-beautiful and idealized existence

When you're alone all by yourself
In moments of solitude

And you're lying in your bed
While lying in bed

Reflection stares right into you
Your own reflection confronts you

Are you happy with yourself?
Are you content and satisfied with who you truly are?

You stripped away the masquerade
You removed the façade and pretense

The illusion has been shed
The false image has been discarded

Yeah, yes (Ah, ah, ah)
Expressing agreement and the repetition of a sound effect