New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Pop singer-songwriter
Ingrid Michaelson today released "Pretty," a new track from her forthcoming album, Stranger Songs, out June 28 - a truly unique collection inspired by Netflix's pop culture phenomenon, Stranger Things. Co-written with
Sarah Aarons (Khalid, Maren Morris) and co-written and produced by Alex Hope (Troye Sivan).
The music video features many women of Broadway lip-syncing the song.
Laura Benanti,
Anais Mitchell, Eva, Bonnie Milligan, Beth Malone, and more make cameos in the video.
"
Pretty" was initially inspired by an understated but powerful scene in Stranger Things in which Eleven, a character first introduced as a young girl without any preconceived idea of gender norms, is dressed in traditionally feminine clothing and then told that she is "pretty." Eleven's reaction to the intended compliment and her struggle to understand the weight of the word inspired these strong female songwriters as they explored the idea of what makes a person "pretty" or "feminine" - building the track to its powerful chorus, "I'm not just pretty, no, I'm pretty damn good." Lyrics are included below.
After receiving an advanced copy of the song, Michaelson's friends and family (including Meghan Trainor, Evan Rachel Wood, Hoda Kotb and many more) began sending her short karaoke videos all singing along. Those completely unfiltered videos have been edited together and will be released through a partnership with YouTube Giving (click here). The YouTube Giving campaign, as well as the proceeds from Michaelson's new "
Pretty" t-shirt, will benefit She Should Run, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to expand the talent pool of women running for office in the United States by providing community, resources, and growth opportunities for aspiring political leaders.
Earlier this month, Michaelson announced a string of special club dates, The Dramatic Tour, in support of Stranger Songs. The Dramatic Tour will make stops throughout the country, including Chicago's Vic Theatre, Roseland Theater in Portland, The Fillmore in San Francisco, Los Angeles' The Wiltern and two nights at the newly reopened Webster Hall in Michaelson's hometown of New York. Tickets to most of these special club dates, as well as a limited number of exclusive VIP packages, are available now through IngridMichaelson.com.
After four Top 20 albums, platinum singles, and countless song placements in everything from Grey's Anatomy to a Google ad - all released independently on her own Cabin 24 Records - Michaelson found herself at a bit of creative standstill, adrift and seeking inspiration. The pop singer-songwriter found it again in an unexpected place, the throwback sci-fi/horror drama Stranger Things.
"I've already made seven records, I have a lot to say. But I've said it so much from the brain and mind and soul of
Ingrid Michaelson - I wanted to create something through a different lens," shared the singer-songwriter. "There's something about Stranger Things that's really comforting, it brings me back to my childhood. It's the best kind of escapism and I find myself seeking that now more than ever. I took inspiration from the show and the characters and all these ideas started to come to me. Every song on the record includes a reference from the show, some more specific than others, but all of the themes are universal - these are feelings everyone has."
