Don't Waste the Pretty
Encyclopedia
"Don't Waste the Pretty" is the third single by Allison Iraheta
of her debut album Just Like You
. It was written by Michael Dennis Smith, Stefanie Ridel, Miriam Nervo and Olivia Nervo and was produced by Howard Benson
. The single version of the song, featuring Orianthi
on guitar, made its online debut on EW.com
and Zap2it.com
on June 2, 2010 and was released digitally on June 8, 2010. It was released to radio stations on June 22, 2010.
on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 and the acoustic version of the song on Z100 New York
on June 22, 2010. She is currently performing the track with Orianthi
and Adam Lambert
on the Glam Nation Tour
. Iraheta and Orianthi performed the song on the Thursday, July 29, 2010 results episode of So You Think You Can Dance
.
Michael Slezak concluded that "Don't Waste the Pretty" finds Iraheta "at her gravelly, soulful best, paired with a killer hook and an empowering message that certainly can’t hurt a generation of kids who’ll be spending their summers singing along to “Can’t Be Tamed” and “Rude Boy.”
Billboard
writes that " 'Don't Waste the Pretty' deserves to become for Iraheta what "Whataya Want From Me" was for Adam Lambert—a breakthrough record for an 'Idol' alum with outsize talent."
AOL Radio
writer Matthew Wilkening writes that "Orianthi's soloing adds dramatic tension to the country-tinged, mid-tempo pop song as Iraheta advises a friend not to take verbal abuse from her partner"
Rodney Ho from the Atlanta Journal Constitution calls Iraheta "a really talented singer" and hopes "that radio embraces this song, which is pretty catchy," adding that "top 40 program directors should give it a spin."
Zap2it
Blogger Andrea Reiher praises the new version of the song, writing "We already loved this song, but it's even better with Orianthi's sick guitar licks in the accompaniment."
Iraheta has also performed the song acoustically on Entertainment Weekly's online show "Realite", Yahoo! Music
, Radio Disney
and Z100 New York
. She released the acoustic version of the song for download on June 8, 2010.
Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...
of her debut album Just Like You
Just Like You (Allison Iraheta album)
Just Like You is the debut album from American Idols eighth season contestant Allison Iraheta. It was released on December 1, 2009 through Jive Records and 19 Recordings...
. It was written by Michael Dennis Smith, Stefanie Ridel, Miriam Nervo and Olivia Nervo and was produced by Howard Benson
Howard Benson
Howard Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
. The single version of the song, featuring Orianthi
Orianthi
Orianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8...
on guitar, made its online debut on EW.com
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
and Zap2it.com
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
on June 2, 2010 and was released digitally on June 8, 2010. It was released to radio stations on June 22, 2010.
Promotion
Iraheta performed the original version of "Don't Waste the Pretty" on Lopez TonightLopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 and the acoustic version of the song on Z100 New York
WHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
on June 22, 2010. She is currently performing the track with Orianthi
Orianthi
Orianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8...
and Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert
Adam Mitchel Lambert is an American singer, songwriter, and actor from San Diego, California. In May 2009, he finished as the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol...
on the Glam Nation Tour
The Glam Nation Tour
The Glam Nation Tour was the first headlining world tour by American singer/songwriter Adam Lambert in support of his debut album, For Your Entertainment. The tour included over 100 shows in North America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.-Background:The tour was officially announced on April 28, 2010...
. Iraheta and Orianthi performed the song on the Thursday, July 29, 2010 results episode of So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
.
Reception
Reception of the new version of "Don't Waste the Pretty" has been mainly positive. Entertainment Weekly'sEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
Michael Slezak concluded that "Don't Waste the Pretty" finds Iraheta "at her gravelly, soulful best, paired with a killer hook and an empowering message that certainly can’t hurt a generation of kids who’ll be spending their summers singing along to “Can’t Be Tamed” and “Rude Boy.”
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
writes that " 'Don't Waste the Pretty' deserves to become for Iraheta what "Whataya Want From Me" was for Adam Lambert—a breakthrough record for an 'Idol' alum with outsize talent."
AOL Radio
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
writer Matthew Wilkening writes that "Orianthi's soloing adds dramatic tension to the country-tinged, mid-tempo pop song as Iraheta advises a friend not to take verbal abuse from her partner"
Rodney Ho from the Atlanta Journal Constitution calls Iraheta "a really talented singer" and hopes "that radio embraces this song, which is pretty catchy," adding that "top 40 program directors should give it a spin."
Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
Blogger Andrea Reiher praises the new version of the song, writing "We already loved this song, but it's even better with Orianthi's sick guitar licks in the accompaniment."
Music video
As of yet, there is no official music video for 'Don't Waste the Pretty'. However, Jive did release a video titled The Journey to Don't Waste the Pretty. This video is backstage footage of Iraheta, her band and Orianthi. It is intercut with scenes of Iraheta performing the song on stage at different gigs (which is in sync with the track).Other versions
The original version of "Don't Waste the Pretty" appears on Iraheta's debut album "Just Like You" as the fourth track and does not feature Orianthi.Iraheta has also performed the song acoustically on Entertainment Weekly's online show "Realite", Yahoo! Music
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
, Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
and Z100 New York
WHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
. She released the acoustic version of the song for download on June 8, 2010.