Composition
"Beautiful Liar" is a contemporary R&B song, which is written in the key of G Phrygian dominant, and set in common time at a tempo of 96 beats per minute. Knowles' vocal range spans from G3 to B♭5. Musically, the song blends of Shakira's Latin and Middle Eastern styles with Knowles' contemporary hip hop and soul styles. It is set to a thumping midtempo beat, and features Arabic instruments such as Arabic percussion, oud and ney. The song's lyrics are about two women who chose not to end a friendship because of a man who has cheated them. Its theme is one of female independence. Knowles told MTV News that "Beautiful Liar" is about female empowerment, in keeping with the theme of the album: "It's about a guy who's kind of playing both of us, and instead of us arguing over the guy we say, 'Forget him. Let's stick together. He's a beautiful liar." It opens with groaning noises, which complement the melody. The names of the two singers are then heard: "Bee on say, be-on-SAY! Sha kee ra, Sha-ki-RA".
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