Girls Aloud, ‘Beautiful ‘Cause You Love Me’ – Song Review

Who needs the Spice Girls when you've got Girls Aloud, the British girl group featuring Cheryl Cole as its most famous (and best recognized in America) member? The Girls have dropped their latest comeback single 'Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me,' a syrupy sweet ballad that's a vehicle for each of their voices.

As far as tender ballads go, 'BCYLM' is a perfectly fine song. It's about how the love of a good man can make you beautiful, and that love, not looks, are what's important in life. When they sing, "Right now / The whole world could call me ugly / So what / To you / I'm not," it's meant to be empowering, especially to a younger listener, since it points out that looks are secondary, and that someone won't love you because of you look. The double meaning is that you will be beautiful because you are loved.

But there is a major moment of disconnect.

While it's a necessary sentiment, it's being delivered by five stunning women who likely never had anyone tell 'em they were ugly. So we're not exactly sure that Girls Aloud are the correct people to deliver that message. It might miss intended targets, since we're not sure who will "believe" these beautiful Brits ever feel unpretty. Sorry, but it's true.

There are no Mariah Careys or Celine Dions in Girls Aloud and that's okay. They are capable singers and the material is in competent hands, vocally speaking. It calls to mind Demi Lovato's 'Skyscraper' in some parts.

However, we're left scratching our heads about why the band went the ballad route, since they built a (very successful) career on poppy, club bangers that got butts out of the seats and onto the dance floor. There's nothing wrong with the Girls flexing creative muscles and doing a sentimental song, but it doesn't quite play to their strengths.

Confectionary pop was their bread and butter, not sincere ballads. The first "new" song was 'Something New' and it was the aforementioned dance jam. It snapped, crackled and popped. 'BCYLM' is a change of pace, but it leaves us wanting something more... like 'Something New.'

Girls Aloud are Girls Gone Quiet with 'Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me.'

Listen to Girls Aloud, 'Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me'