What Makes You Beautiful: SATB Choral Octavo

As performed by One Direction / Arranged by Ed Lojeski

Item: 35-DS00251513

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 9
SKU: 35-DS00251513

More about this title

About the Artist: One Direction

One Direction emerged from the UK and Ireland as a five-piece boy band on the British version of The X Factor in 2010. Over the course of their initial run, they became a global phenomenon, known for crafting infectious pop melodies and earning devoted audiences across multiple generations. Their catalogue of radio hits and arena anthems has made them a staple of contemporary music, ensuring their songs resonate with student singers who grew up hearing this music on every playlist.

As a group, One Direction demonstrated remarkable songwriting instinct, often working with top producers and collaborators to shape pop songs that balance accessibility with genuine vocal craft. This combination has made their music particularly valuable in choral settings, where the emotional directness of their hooks meets the harmonic potential that arrangement provides.

Why we love this

Ed Lojeski's arrangement taps into what makes this song so immediate for singers: the memorable melody sits comfortably in a pop idiom while the SATB voicing creates real harmonic interest without demanding excessive technical maturity. Students recognize and love the song, which means they arrive at rehearsal already invested in nailing it. That combination of familiarity and fresh harmonic color is exactly what makes pop arrangements this effective in building ensemble confidence.

What to expect

The song carries the warmth and directness of a genuine pop love song, full of youthful sincerity and bright melody. In SATB form, it gains harmonic depth that lifts it beyond the original while preserving the emotional immediacy that makes it so singable.

Who it's for

This arrangement works beautifully for high school and early college choirs seeking contemporary material that engages singers emotionally while remaining accessible to mixed ensembles of moderate ability. It's equally valuable for community choirs or secular vocal groups looking to program music their singers actually want to sing.

How to get the most out of it

  • Keep the rhythmic drive energized even at moderate tempos. This song depends on forward momentum to capture its character, so lock the pulse early and resist the urge to drag during ensemble work.
  • Balance the lead melody line carefully if soprano is carrying it. The supporting voices should sit underneath without disappearing, creating a cohesive texture rather than a solo with backup singers.
  • Shape the phrases with attention to the original vocal phrasing. Lojeski's arrangement likely preserves the melodic contours that make the song recognizable, so honor those shapes with thoughtful breath placement.

How to use it

Program this alongside other contemporary pop arrangements to create a set that speaks to your ensemble's age and interests. It works particularly well as an opener or an energetic moment in the middle of a concert, where it can serve as both a crowd pleaser and a demonstration of your choir's musical range.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing with rhythmic precision in a pop idiom
  • Balancing melodic and harmonic lines in SATB voicing
  • Maintaining intonation in sustained chord changes
  • Interpreting contemporary music with stylistic awareness

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