“What Makes You Beautiful” – Single by One Direction from the album Up All Night
B-side: “Na Na Na”
Released: 11 September 2011
Recorded: July 2011
Studio: Malibu, California
Kinglet & Cosmos Studios, Stockholm, Sweden
Label: SycoColumbia
Songwriters: Savan Kotecha, Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk
Producers: Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk
Charted No.4 in US and No.1 in UK
One Direction – “What Makes You Beautiful” (Music Video)
Debut Single Release
The band’s very first single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” received its initial airplay on August 10, 2011, and was officially released on September 11, 2011. As Harry Styles told BBC Radio 1’s Chris Moyles: “When we were recording in the studio we knew instantly that we wanted this track to be our first single.”
Music Video Overview
Director John Urbano revealed that the Malibu location was chosen for its relaxed California vibe, beating out other suggestions like the Indiana Dunes. Urbano encouraged the band to improvise—running, laughing, splashing in the waves—capturing a genuine sense of youth and fun. The video’s authenticity struck a chord with fans worldwide. Urbano later shared that the shoot felt like “hanging out with five kids who didn’t realize how famous they were about to become.”
Creative Approach & Improvised Energy
Rather than flow with rigid choreography, Urbano employed what he calls “highly crafted improv.” The members were encouraged to be playful—running up sand dunes, splashing in the water, kicking a soccer ball, and goofing around naturally. The result? A vibrant, youthful energy that felt organic and unscripted
Video Release & Milestones
The video premiered on August 19, 2011 on YouTube, following a five-day teaser campaign shared by the band. It quickly became one of the top-twenty most viewed YouTube videos of all time, accumulating well over 1 billion views
Accolades & Impact
At the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, the video claimed two major wins: Best Pop Video and Most Share-Worthy Video, while One Direction also took home Best New Artist
Live Performances (Video-Inspired Boost)
Following the video’s release, “What Makes You Beautiful” became an essential part of One Direction’s performance repertoire. The song was performed live on numerous high-profile platforms:
Red or Black? (Sept 10, 2011) – with fans on the London Tube
BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards (Oct 9, 2011)
Children in Need (Nov 19, 2011)
Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball (Dec 4, 2011)The X Factor UK Final, Dancing on Ice, Sanremo Music Festival, Le Grand Journal, The Today Show (U.S.), Kids’ Choice Awards, Saturday Night Live, Logie Awards, and even the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony
Beyond the group’s major tours—Up All Night Tour (2011–12), Take Me Home Tour (2013), Where We Are Tour (2014), and On the Road Again Tour (2015)—Harry Styles continued to perform the song during his 2017 and 2021 solo tours
Cultural Origin of the Song
Interestingly, the creation of “What Makes You Beautiful” was sparked by a sweet moment: songwriter Savan Kotecha, in an interview, revealed that he penned the initial idea while consoling his wife who said, “I feel so ugly.” He responded, “No—you look beautiful. You don’t know how beautiful you look.” That phrase landed the foundation of a classic pop debut
Worldwide Chart Performance
Below is a summary of the song’s chart success across global markets:
Ireland #1 (4 weeks at top)
United Kingdom #1 (153,965 first-week sales)
Scotland #1
Australia #7 (9th week)
New Zealand #2 (11 weeks in top 10)
Canada #7 (debuted at #9; digital downloads #2)
United States #4 on Billboard Hot 100; topped Dance Club Songs; top 5 in Mainstream & Adult Pop; 132k downloads first week
Belgium (Flanders/Wallonia) Peaked at #8 (Flanders), #19 (Wallonia)
France Peaked at #38
Finland Peaked at #20
Sweden Peaked at #29; 24 weeks charting; 4× PlatinumWorldwide Sales Over 7 million copies sold globally
It was the best-selling single of 2011 in Ireland (14th overall) and the UK (20th in year-end ranking), even becoming one of the UK’s longest-selling million-selling singles
In the US, it became the best-selling song by a boy band in digital history (over 3.8M sold in 2012)
