"Scars" is the second single from the debut album, Just Like You

Just Like You (Allison Iraheta album)

Just Like You is the debut album from American Idols eighth season contestant Allison Iraheta. It was released on December 1, 2009 through Jive Records and 19 Recordings...

, of American Idol

American Idol

American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

 season eight

American Idol (season 8)

The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol...

 finalist Allison Iraheta

Allison Iraheta

Allison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...

. It was written by Toby Gad

Toby Gad

Tobias "Toby" Gad is a Los Angeles-based hit producer and songwriter from Germany, perhaps best known for co-writing Fergie's Grammy nominated hit song "Big Girls Don't Cry" as well as co-writing and producing Beyoncé's worldwide #1 hit "If I Were a Boy", and The Veronicas multi-platinum #1...

 and Elyssa James. Gad also produced the track.

Critical reception

Reception of "Scars" has been generally positive.

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

s Michael Slezak wrote "Meanwhile, ballads like the understated Scars and the bluesy Trouble Is separate Iraheta from questionably abled Miley/Selena contemporaries. Girl. Can. Sang!".

Kelsey Paine from Billboard.com

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

 agreed writing "soulful tunes like "Scars" and the bluesy "Trouble Is" showcase the raw talent that made Iraheta a star on "Idol" and set her apart from other young pop upstarts."

AOL Radio

AOL Radio

AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...

 writer Sara D Anderson praises Scars, noting "'Scars' is one of the many songs (others 'Robot Love,' 'Trouble Is' and 'Friday I'll Be Over U') critically appraised off her debut album that showcases her husky yet powerful vocals and spunky attitude."

Promotion

Iraheta performed the song on February 25, 2010, on the Top 24 elimination episode of the ninth season of American Idol

American Idol

American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

.. She also performed an acoustic version of the song on JoJo Wright

JoJo Wright

JoJo Wright is an American radio personality, Internet show host, celebrity commentator, and film actor. He hosts the Top 40 radio show, “JoJo On The Radio,” which airs on the number one station in Los Angeles, KIIS-FM, and is nationally syndicated in more than 60 markets...

's radio show JoJo on the Radio on KIIS-FM

KIIS-FM

KIIS-FM is a Los Angeles, California, USA-based radio station with a partial Top 40 musical format. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications. KIIS is also simulcasted on KVVS in Rosamond, at 105.5 MHz...

. Due to Iraheta's popularity in Asia, Iraheta also headlined concerts in Manila

Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...

 and Bali

Bali

Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...

, performing 'Scars' at both.

Media appearance

The song was featured on the TV special Monster High: New Ghoul @ School.