There's been no shortage of surprising covers in the world of heavy music as of late, but this latest from Mudvayne and HELLYEAH frontman Chad Gray really takes the cake(d on makeup). With both of his bands on hiatus and having recently wrapped his headlining 30 Years Of Madness Tour, Gray unveiled a cover of Christina Aguilera's double Platinum Grammy-winning 2002 hit, "Beautiful." Betcha didn't see that one coming.
Speaking with Revolver, Gray explained his connection to the song has evolved over the years:
I have struggled my entire life with all of those things so when I heard it years ago, it spoke to me, I felt what Linda Perry was trying to say with the lyrics. As I have found sobriety and worked on myself, I have found even more of a connection with this song. My songwriting has always been driven by my experiences and feelings, from dark to light from helpless to hopeful.
He continues:
Although I didn't write 'Beautiful,' I am passionate about its meaning so I wanted to put my own spin on it. I know no one had me covering a pop song in 2026 on their bingo card, but here we are. I changed the bridge, got the scream, big drums, and big guitars in there. Maybe some of the metal family can hear it and find their own self-love because we are beautiful no matter what they say.
Penned by legendary songwriter Linda Perry (4 Non Blondes, Adele, Alicia Keys, Courtney Love), the track was an instant hit that continues to find relevance nearly a quarter of a century later. Perry originally intended to perform the song herself on a solo album before offering it to another 2000s hitmaker: P!nk. It was only after hearing the "Genie In A Bottle" singer perform the song to "break the ice" during a meeting that Perry allowed Aguilera to include the song on her fourth album Stripped.
Gray's rendition begins in a similar vein (vayne?) to the original—exposed vocals over a delicate piano and acoustic guitar accompaniment—before letting the guitars take over in the second verse, delivering the kind of detuned heaviness Gray's fans have come to expect. While it's easy to imagine Gray overhauling the entire song into something more extreme—especially given the vulnerable lyrics—it's refreshing to hear such a faithful, irony-free take on the material. Gray and his bandmates eventually inject some welcome distortion and groove into the track, but the core melody remains intact.
The covered has already received the stamp of approval from Perry herself:
It made me smile. His passionate and fearless vocals get a thumbs up from this listener.
In December, Gray will be performing at all three days of Good Things Festival 2026 in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane on the 4th, 5th, and 6th. Gray was also recently as part of the lineups at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple. Click here for tickets.
Check out dates and the Alex Bemis-directed video for "Beautiful" below.
Chad Gray's cover of "Beautiful" is out now via Alchemy Recordings/BMG.
Good Things Festival 2026
12/04 Melbourne, AU @ Flemington Racecourse
12/05 Sydney, AU @ Sydney Showground
12/06 Brisbane, AU @ Brisbane Showgrounds
Welcome To Rockville 2027
05/06 Daytona Beach, FL @ Daytona International Speedway
Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2027
05/14 Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2027
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