Young and Beautiful

🕰 Style & Background

• Style: Haunting "Sad Girl Aesthetic" Pop

• Originally recorded by: Lana del Rey

• Arranged by: Natalie Cardillo

• Language: English (USA)

🎯 Programming Use

• ✅ ICHSA/ICCA Opener or Middle

• ✅ A Cappella Concert

• ✅ Pops Concert

• ✅ Thematic Program (songs from cinema, love songs)

💡 Why This Piece Works

Young and Beautiful is already known for its haunting melody and cinematic intensity — but this arrangement takes it one step further by transforming it into a storytelling vehicle for your ensemble.

In this version, a woman drinks a potion hoping to stay young forever. As the piece opens, she’s waking up — slightly dazed, slightly dreamy — convinced it worked. She sings, “I’ve seen the world, done it all”, content and glowing with youth.

The first chorus is innocent and hopeful, asking sweetly: “Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful?”

But then — a tense, jarring chord shatters the moment. She suddenly realizes the potion didn’t work. In fact, she’s aging rapidly and must find her lover before it’s too late.

The tempo subtly accelerates. Ensemble rhythms begin to mimic a racing heartbeat. Breathy “hah” motifs create the sensation of running, gasping, panicking. Her second chorus isn’t hopeful anymore — it’s desperate.

During the bridge, she pleads with God to let her reunite with her love in heaven. The chords lift and bloom, glowing like sunlight breaking through the clouds.

But as quickly as that hope arrives, reality creeps back in. The ensemble supports one last, powerful plea to be loved — no matter what form she takes.

And finally, the piece closes in near silence — a whispered goodbye in her lover’s arms.

This arrangement delivers drama, emotional range, and storytelling power — all while giving your singers the chance to live inside a character, shape texture through breath and blend, and create unforgettable musical moments.

🎵 Musical Characteristics

Melodic Range

✅ Treble Accessibility: – Tenor 1 comfortable for treble voices / Bass 1 potentially comfortable for treble voices (repetitive E3s)

Key and Tonality

B Minor

Solfege Accessibility: Easy — Standard solfege in minor

🍎 Tips from the Teacher

• As recorded consider waiting to add vocal percussion until final chorus for powerful ending

• Vowels and longer notes such as “dohm” should be dark and rounded, whereas shorter notes such as “den” and “hah” should be brighter to cut through the arrangement

• Solo is pretty straightforward - feel free to take some liberties at the end of the arrangement!

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