{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox album | name = And Then Life Was Beautiful | type = studio | artist = Nao | cover = Nao_-_And_Then_Life_Was_Beautiful.png | alt = | released = {{start date|2021|9|24|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = R&B<ref name="Nao2"/> | length = 45:13 | label = {{hlist|RCA|Little Tokyo|Sony}} | producer = {{hlist|LOXE|D'Mile|Stint|Sarz|Scribz Riley|Jonah Stevens|GRADES|George Moore|Ari PenSmith|Maths Time Joy}} | prev_title = Saturn | prev_year = 2018 | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Singles | name = And Then Life Was Beautiful | type = studio | single1 = Woman | single1date = 24 August 2020 | single2 = Antitode | single2date = 7 January 2021 | single3 = Messy Love | single3date = 23 June 2021 | single4 = And Then Life Was Beautiful | single4date = 29 July 2021 | single5 = Wait | single5date = 12 August 2021 }} }}

'''''And Then Life Was Beautiful''''' is the third studio album by English singer Nao. The album was released on 24 September 2021 through Little Tokyo Recordings and RCA Records.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nao shares "And Then Life Was Beautiful," announces new album |url=https://www.thefader.com/2021/07/29/nao-shares-and-then-life-was-beautiful-announces-new-album |work=FADER |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref>

==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 85/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/and-then-life-was-beautiful/nao|title= AND THEN LIFE WAS BEAUTIFUL by Nao Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> | rev1 = ''All Music'' | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Nao0">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/and-then-life-was-beautiful-mw0003571044|title=And Then Life Was Beautiful Review by Andy Kellman|website=All Music|last=Kellman|first=Andy|date=21 October 2021|access-date=16 August 2023}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Guardian'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Nao">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/23/nao-and-then-life-was-beautiful-review-little-tokyo|title=Nao: And Then Life Was Beautiful review – joy and hope amid the pandemic|website=The Guardian|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=23 September 2021|access-date=16 August 2023}}</ref> | rev3 = ''NME'' | rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Nao2">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/nao-and-then-life-was-beautiful-album-review-3053433|title=Nao – ‘And Then Life Was Beautiful’ review: R&B star offers hope and a sense of healing|website=NME|last=Williams|first=Kyann-Sian|date=24 September 2021|access-date=16 August 2023}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev4score = 7.5/10<ref name="Nao3">{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/nao-and-then-life-was-beautiful/|title=Nao: ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Green|first=Dylan|date=28 September 2021|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Clash'' | rev5score = 8/10 <ref name="Nao4">{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/nao-and-then-life-was-beautiful/|title=Nao: ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' Album Review|website=Clash|last=Kelly|first=Amelia|date=24 September 2021|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> }}

''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' was met with universal acclaim from music critics and received a score of 85 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on nine critics' reviews.

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Andy Kellman observed "the generally softer and sweeter backdrops, which lean toward modern adult contemporary R&B and at times are plain, allow Nao to do more with her voice, a lithe soprano that glides, swoops, and flutters without strain".<ref name="Nao0" /> Alexis Petridis of ''The Guardian'' commended the album by stating the "mood never feels trite on ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'', but oddly infectious instead, perhaps because the songs are really strong, the lyrics admirably uncliched."<ref name="Nao" /> Writing for ''NME'', Kyann-Sian Williams felt the album "captures a sense of healing, and offers hope" and labelled it as "a true celebration of R&B".<ref name="Nao2" />

Dylan Green of ''Pitchfork'' praised the "varied sonic palette" of the album. He noted that while ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' doesn't completely reinvent Nao's style, the album is a significant milestone in her journey towards self-actualization.<ref name="Nao" /> Amelia Kelly of ''Clash'' lauded the album by stating that "the gorgeous vocals, the radiant tones, the graceful guitar – manifests enlightened bliss. The expertly blended transitions between each track transform them into puzzle pieces that fit smoothly together."<ref name="Nao4" />

''The Independent'' included the album in their list of 20 most underrated albums at number 12.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beaumont |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Beaumont (journalist) |last2=O'Connor |first2=Roisin |date=2024-10-19 |title=The 20 most underrated albums ever |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/underrated-albums-britney-spears-charli-xcx-b2631613.html |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | total_length = 45:13 | title1 = And Then Life Was Beautiful | writer1 = {{flatlist| *Neo Joshua *Rowan Perkins *Andrew Vickery *Nicola Sipprell}} | extra1 = LOXE | length1 = 3:23 | title2 = Messy Love | writer2 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Dernst Emile II}} | extra2 = D'Mile | length2 = 3:35 | title3 = Glad That You're Gone | writer3 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Dayyon Alexander *Ajay Bhattacharyya}} | extra3 = Stint | length3 = 3:33 | title4 = Antidote | note4 = featuring Adekunle Gold | writer4 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Adekunle Kosoko *Osaretin Osabuohien *Stacy Barthe}} | extra4 = Sarz | length4 = 3:22 | title5 = Burn Out | writer5 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Nija Charles *Jonah Stevens *Leyla Fahm *Michael Orabiyi}} | extra5 = {{flatlist| *Scribz Riley *Stevens}} | length5 = 3:19 | title6 = Wait | writer6 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Alexander}} | extra6 = {{flatlist| *LOXE *GRADES}} | length6 = 3:10 | title7 = Good Luck | note7 = featuring Lucky Daye | writer7 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Dustin Bowie *Perkins *Dan Gulino *Daniel John See *David Debrandon Brown *Jim Wood}} | extra7 = LOXE | length7 = 3:04 | title8 = Nothing's for Sure | writer8 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Alex Bonfanti *Sipprell *Graham Godfrey *Miles James}} | extra8 = GRADES | length8 = 4:17 | title9 = Woman | note9 = featuring Lianne La Havas | writer9 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *La Havas *Perkins *Vickery *Dayo Olatunji *Alexander}} | extra9 = LOXE | length9 = 3:11 | title10 = Better Friend | writer10 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Traynor}} | extra10 = GRADES | length10 = 3:21 | title11 = Postcards | note11 = featuring serpentwithfeet | writer11 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Josiah Wise *George Moore}} | extra11 = Moore | length11 = 3:27 | title12 = Little Giants | writer12 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Ari PenSmith *Alex Blake *Nathaniel Warner}} | extra12 = {{flatlist| *PenSmith *Moore}} | length12 = 4:00 | title13 = Amazing Grace | writer13 = {{flatlist| *Joshua *Timothy Worthington}} | extra13 = Maths Time Joy | length13 = 3:26 }}

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position

|- {{album chart|UK2|63|date=20211001|rowheader=true|access-date=24 June 2023}} |- {{album chart|UKR&B|1|date=20211001|rowheader=true|access-date=9 November 2018}} |- |}

== Release history == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release dates and formats for ''And Then Life Was Beautiful'' ! scope="col" |Region ! scope="col" |Date ! scope="col" |Format(s) ! scope="col" |Edition ! scope="col" |Label ! scope="col" |{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="1" |Various | 24 September 2021 | {{hlist|CD|digital download|LP|streaming}} | Standard | {{hlist|RCA Records}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web |title=And Then Life Was Beautiful by Nao |url=https://www.amazon.ca/Then-Life-Was-Beautiful/dp/B09BFXNJG3/ref=tmm_acd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=|publisher=Amazon Music |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=And Then Life Was Beautiful [VINYL]:Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl |url=https://www.amazon.ca/Then-Life-Was-Beautiful-Vinyl/dp/B09BFXXZZC|publisher=Amazon Music |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref><ref name="Apple Music">{{cite web |title=And Then Life Was Beautiful by Nao on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/and-then-life-was-beautiful/1577553294|publisher=Apple Music |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

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Category:2021 albums Category:Nao (singer) albums