By Brian Harris 
A wise woman once said: “Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.”
“People have really embraced that line, and it’s become almost like a motto,” reflects Natasha Bedingfield, two decades after first staring at the blank page in front of her.
Speaking to BBC Newsbeat after making her return to the charts this year, Natasha admits, “I never imagined that Unwritten would be the song that would have such lasting power.” She adds, “There were other songs that were considered cooler at the time. Writing positive songs without coming across as cheesy is a real challenge.”
Yet, Unwritten—with its message of releasing your inhibitions and embracing the moment—managed to avoid the cringe factor, becoming Natasha’s most-streamed song by a significant margin. By now, you probably have the tune stuck in your head.
The track, from her debut album of the same name, reached number six on the UK charts nearly 20 years ago. But recently, it’s been enjoying a resurgence, spending 20 weeks in the Top 40 since January after a 17-year absence. This renewed success is partly due to its inclusion in the 2023 film Anyone But You, and, unsurprisingly, TikTok played a big role as well.
Nearly 700,000 videos have been created using Unwritten as the soundtrack, featuring everything from “Get Ready With Me” clips to marriage proposals.
“We often worry about technology, but it can bring about some really positive things,” Natasha notes. “The way it connects people is incredible. It’s given artists a lot more power to engage with their fans directly.”
For Natasha, however, the song isn’t new—her fans are just catching up. “I’ve been performing it all along,” she says. “What’s new for me is being back in England.”
Now based in New York, Natasha explains that she’s become more recognized in the U.S., as her releases after Unwritten didn’t gain as much traction in the UK. “It felt like I got the message that people in England didn’t want my music anymore,” she says, despite still considering the UK her home. “My music just wasn’t being heard there anymore.”
So, she was pleasantly surprised when, in 2022, Lewis Capaldi invited her to open for him at the O2 in London. “Everyone was singing along to every word of every song,” Natasha recalls.
This isn’t the first time social media has breathed new life into an older track. Earlier this year, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder On The Dancefloor—originally released in 2001—shot back up the charts thanks to a TikTok trend inspired by the film Saltburn.
“Social media has united the world in such a wonderful way,” Natasha concludes.