Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Maererano naTris McCall we"The Star-Ledger", rwiyo rwacho runoreva kuti "vakadzi vokuAmerica vanokandirwa mumakwikwi kubva vachiri vaduku, uye vanorovedzwa kuvanza zvavanokanganisa uye kusavimba nechiratidzo chipi nechipi chokubatana". Mukuwedzera, rwiyo rwenziyo runotaura nezvemigumisiro yemagariro evanhu akakwirira ekunaka, uye mu "Pretty Hurts" zvinetso zvekudya zvinoratidzwa seimwe yemigumisiro yakatarisana nayo. Rwiyo rwacho rwunoratidzawo Beyoncé achishora "kunyemwerera kwepurasitiki", uye mumitsetse yokupedzisira iye anokumbira "kubvisa masquearede". Vatsoropodzi vakacherechedza kuti "Pretty Hurts" yakasimudzira chishuvo chomuteereri wacho chokuva nomukurumbira uye kukura kwomunhu oga. Mashoko erwiyo akaunganidza kuenzanisa neTLC's "Unpretty" (1999), uye Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" (2002). Marc Hogan we "Spin" akataura kuti "Pretty Hurts" yakafanana nehurukuro inoperekedzwa nemimhanzi uye yakanzwa kuti yakashanda sechirevo chezvematongerwo enyika chakanangana neindasitiri yerunako. Maonero aHogan akadavirwawo naMcCall we "The Star-Ledger" uyo akanyora kuti dai rwiyo rwacho rwakanga rwuchiridzwa naPhil Ochs muna 1995, "rwaizobva rwabva rwaziva kuti rwaiva rwiyo rwekuratidzira". McCall akapfuurira kutaura kuti "Pretty Hurts" yakashanda semhinduro kune kutsoropodzwa kwakaitwa naBeyoncé nokuda kwokuita kwake "The Star-Spangled Banner" panguva yemutungamiri weAmerica Barack Obama
kuvhurwa kwechipiri muna 2013.