"Beautiful Times" is a song by American electronica project Owl City. The song features American violinist Lindsey Stirling and was released on April 8, 2014 as the lead single from his fourth EP, Ultraviolet.[1]
Background
In early 2014, Young revealed the album artwork for his single, "Beautiful Times", through his Instagram account.[2][3] On April 4, 2014, Owl City released a teaser for "Beautiful Times".[4] Written and produced by Young, the track runs at 136 BPM and is in the key of A major.[5] The song has been described as an "upbeat" track.[6] The song features Lindsey Stirling who played violin on the track.[1] According to Young, "Beautiful Times" was the first track he wrote for the EP when he got home from tour.[7] About the song's meaning and working with Stirling, Young stated:
"It is an anthem for those who search for strength to rise above hardship. I was honoured to work with yet another of my favourite artists, Lindsey Stirling, who was kind enough to grant me the honour of featuring her. I hope you enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed creating it."[8]
Critical reception
Christian Rockafeller of Music Times calls the music video "a gorgeous and whimsical cinematic tale." Musically, he praised Stirling's violin skills stating it as "inimitable" and "impressive."[9]
Music video
On June 26, 2014, the music video for "Beautiful Times" premiered via Rolling Stone. Speaking about the video he stated, "I've been on a few sets where everyone is on edge and it throws the whole thing off. A positive atmosphere really makes all the difference in the world."[6] The music video showcases a young protagonist waking up and venturing beyond his own world, while it features clips of Young and Stirling performing the song.[9]
