Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Ten years after its original release, David Hernandez’s “Beautiful” still lands like a deep breath for anyone who’s ever needed a reminder of their worth. First released in 2016, the song quickly grew beyond a single into a quiet but powerful LGBTQ+ anthem – one rooted in vulnerability, honesty, and the radical act of self-acceptance. Now, on Valentine’s Day 2026, Hernandez revisits that legacy with “BEAUTIFUL 2.0,” a reimagined version that reflects a decade of personal growth, expanded visibility, and hard-earned confidence.
Arriving February 14, 2026, alongside an official music video, “BEAUTIFUL 2.0” isn’t a remix so much as a reckoning. It’s the sound of an artist returning to a message that shaped his career – this time with deeper grounding, sharper clarity, and an expanded sense of community. Featuring acclaimed transgender artist Mila Jam, the new version opens the song to lived experiences that weren’t centered when it first appeared, while preserving the emotional core that made it resonate so deeply in the first place.
“When I first released Beautiful, it came from a very grounded and honest place,” Hernandez explains. “I knew who I was then, and I believed in the message I was putting out. What’s changed now is the depth of that knowing. The message lands from an even steadier place – less about discovering your worth and more about fully standing in it. The world has shifted. Visibility has expanded, but so has resistance, which makes this message feel even more necessary today.”
That tension – between progress and pushback – runs quietly through “BEAUTIFUL 2.0.” While the original song arrived at a moment when simply being seen felt revolutionary, this new chapter acknowledges that visibility alone doesn’t equal safety or acceptance. Instead, it centers something more internal: the strength it takes to stand in your truth even when the world feels unsteady.
Originally embraced as an empowerment anthem, “Beautiful” found a natural home within the LGBTQ+ community thanks to its emotional openness and refusal to define beauty by anyone else’s standards. Hernandez is careful not to discard that legacy. Instead, “BEAUTIFUL 2.0” builds on it – making room for more voices, more nuance, and more power.
“Beautiful has always been about community and honoring our differences,” Hernandez continues. “That message is the same now as it was in 2016. The original video showed people from all walks of life defining beauty for themselves instead of letting the world do it for them. What’s evolved is the depth of self-knowing. Now the song also speaks to standing fully in your power, which feels even more important as visibility grows alongside resistance.”
Mila Jam’s presence is central to that evolution. A celebrated artist in her own right, Jam brings a depth of lived truth that feels essential to this new version. Her collaboration with Hernandez is also deeply personal – the two were roommates in New York City in 2015, long before either could have predicted this moment.
“Mila doesn’t just sing the message, she embodies it,” Hernandez shares. “Her voice carries resilience, softness, and strength all at once. That kind of representation and mutual understanding is something I’m deeply grateful we can share now.”
Musically, “BEAUTIFUL 2.0” is re-produced by Niko The Kid, whose approach modernizes the track without overwhelming it. The production is intentional in its restraint, allowing the emotion to breathe rather than chasing volume or spectacle.
“The song didn’t need to be bigger, it needed to be clearer,” Hernandez says. “The production gives the emotions room to land. It feels current, but timeless.”
That same philosophy extends to the official music video, which reunites Hernandez with director Johny De, following their earlier collaboration on “feel it all.” Where the original “Beautiful” video leaned into quiet vulnerability and protection, this new visual chapter is unapologetically radiant. Sequins, disco balls, laser lights, and bold styling take center stage—not as distraction, but as declaration.
“In 2016, I needed protection on camera,” Hernandez reflects. “Now, I wanted to be seen fully – confident, open, and grounded in who I am. This is me, still human, still growing, but standing in my power.”
Shaped by intimate conversations between Hernandez and Jam about visibility, safety, joy, and choosing softness in an often-unforgiving world, the video celebrates confidence without denying complexity. It’s not about pretending everything is easy—it’s about honoring how far self-love can stretch once survival is no longer the only goal.
After a decade of personal and artistic evolution, Hernandez says the intention was clear: self-love doesn’t stop once you’ve made it through the hardest parts.
“We wanted to show that you can always go a step further in honoring yourself, in caring for yourself, and in letting yourself shine.”
Releasing “BEAUTIFUL 2.0” on Valentine’s Day reframes the holiday in a way that feels especially resonant for queer audiences. Rather than centering romance alone, the release honors self-love, chosen family, and authenticity – the values that have sustained Hernandez throughout his career.
“Self-love didn’t come overnight,” he says. “It was built slowly, imperfectly. Valentine’s Day felt like the right moment to honor love in all its forms.”
As conversations around queer and trans visibility continue to evolve – often in complicated and emotionally charged ways – “BEAUTIFUL 2.0” offers something quieter but no less powerful: permission.
“This isn’t about telling people who to be,” Hernandez says. “It’s about reminding them they’re allowed to exist fully, even on days when confidence feels out of reach.”
“BEAUTIFUL 2.0” and its official music video will be available on all major streaming platforms beginning February 14, 2026.
How to Find and Follow David Hernandez
To keep up with David Hernandez’s music, videos, and upcoming projects, fans can visit his official website at www.OfficialDavidHernandez.com. He’s also active across social media, where he shares updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and reflections on his creative journey. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and X under the handle DHernandezMusic, and subscribe to his YouTube channel at DavidHernandezMusic to watch the official “BEAUTIFUL 2.0” video and explore more of his visual work.
