The song neatly bridges the classic electronica of ‘Ray Of Light’ with the experimentation of ‘Music’
Recorded in California in early 1999, Beautiful Stranger embraces psychedelia, disco and even noticeable traces of Britpop – then just starting to soften as a cultural phenomenon – which owed much of its impact to its reverential nods back to the sounds and styles of the 60s, when the UK certainly did rule the global airwaves. As well as a Mellotron, there are flutes on the recording, hinting at the more unusual instrumentation that would characterise much of Madonna’s work with Mirwais, who would produce her next two albums – Music (2000) and American Life (2003) – and return for 2019’s Madame X.
Despite its obvious hit potential, Madonna’s US label passed on a physical release
Perhaps mindful of CD sales for the soundtrack – which would later go platinum in the US, shifting more than one million copies – Beautiful Stranger wasn’t issued on CD or cassette in North America (although a promo 12” and CD were circulated).
Still, the song peaked at No.19 in the US on radio play alone, while in the UK it made it to No.2. And there were similar successes elsewhere, including Canada and Italy, where it topped the singles charts. Radio adored Beautiful Stranger, and it was the second most-played track in Europe that year. Madonna has since performed the song live on the Drowned World Tour, but it was overlooked for her career retrospective The Celebration Tour, which ran across 2023 and 2024.
Beautiful Stranger won a Grammy and an MTV Video Music Award
“Someone is seducing our top agents. As you can see, she is a master of disguise,” began the Beautiful Stranger promo clip, which would go on to win an MTV Video Music Award and is almost unique in Madonna’s lengthy videography for its overt humour. The song itself won a Grammy in 2000, for Best Song Written For A Motion Picture. Critics also raved about the track, with trade bible Billboard calling it “utterly exceptional”.
A sharp remix ensured its success on the dancefloor
Victor Calderone’s exceptional Beautiful Stranger remix ensured the track would follow Madonna’s familiar path to the top of the US dance charts, staying at No.1 for a fortnight. William Orbit also cut a radio edit, but it was Calderone’s club treatment that was selected for inclusion on Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones, the 2022 collection that would celebrate Madonna’s dominance on the dance charts.
