What Makes You Beautiful (arr. Rick Hein): Choral Octavo

Rick Hein's arrangement captures what made this song a global phenomenon while building it into something your singers can genuinely own. The 9-page format stays manageable for rehearsal time, and the pop sensibility paired with actual choral writing creates an immediate appeal that gets students excited about showing up to rehearsal.

Infectious and optimistic, with the kind of melodic stickiness that will live in your singers' heads for weeks. The arrangement balances enough harmonic interest to keep musicians engaged while maintaining the accessible, uplifting character of the original hit.

Choirs performing at pops concerts, variety shows, or contemporary music festivals who want material that energizes student musicians and connects with modern listeners. This works well for high school or advanced middle school choirs with singers experienced enough to handle rhythmic independence within a pop idiom.

• Nail the rhythmic precision of the pop groove before layering vocal parts. Lock in the backbeat feel so the arrangement sits with energy, not looseness.
• Balance the melody against supporting voices carefully. This style often places the hook in soprano or melody section, so ensure accompanying parts sit underneath without competing for attention.
• Lean into the contemporary sound through diction clarity and rhythmic articulation. Pop arrangements live or die on how crisply your singers shape the text.
• The recorded accompaniment (if available) provides the harmonic and rhythmic foundation. Use it early to establish feel, then gradually reduce ensemble dependence on it during rehearsal.

Position this as a contemporary crown jewel in a mixed repertoire concert, placing it alongside one art song and one spiritual to show range. It also serves as an excellent warm-up piece that builds confidence and cohesion early in rehearsal because students connect with the material immediately.

• Rhythmic precision within pop-influenced meters and syncopation
• Maintaining melodic independence while supporting harmonic voices
• Contemporary diction and articulation techniques
• Blending individual vocal color into ensemble sound
• Reading and performing music written in non-traditional classical notation or layout