Superlatives
A Vulture series in which artists judge the best and worst of their own careers.
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
P!nkadmits shes old-fashioned.
I am a pop fan, she says.
Its whatevers popular, but, to me, popular for a reason, cause its a well-crafted song.
Thats exactly why she has endured.
Its like,Okay, heres tissues.
Okay, heres dance shoes, she says.
Here, the artist revisits her prolific, provocative career.
New song youre most excited to perform live
Gosh.
Never Gonna Not Dance Again makes me really happy.
Trustfall and Runaway are going to be amazing.
And When I Get There, if I can get through it, is going to be great.
I strive for the audience to feel everything they can feel in two hours.
When your whole performance is based on just dont fall, thats a fun place to start.
And I was with some of the most talented roller skaters in the world.
I just wanted to spread joy with that song.
Hardest stunt
Thereve been many scary things.
One of the hardest physically was doingSober on the trapezewith Seb, my longtime catcher.
That started off bad and got better.
I did a full face plant on day one of rehearsals for the 2009 VMAs.
Then, for the 2017 AMAs, I did thisBandaloopon the side of the building outside.
I had just had my baby boy.
And thats the first thing that came out of my mouth.
The guy that was teaching me was like, We only have three days.
So I did it, but if youd been able to see my hands …
I think its helped my asthma, actually, cause its all just diaphragmatic screaming.
I mean, I would once, but I wouldnt be able to sing for a day or two.
Youre just dumb for even recording that.
Did you seeOld Schoolwith Will Ferrell?
Thats what it feels like.
You leave your body for a minute and then you come back into it and its done.
That happened to me withFamily Portrait,fromM!ssundaztood, also.
Its a very spiritual experience.
Favorite song to hear on the radio
Im always surprised when I hear myself on the radio.
Im also one of his biggest fans, so that might be why.
And I got him again on this album.
I cant believe that people like that say yes.
I lovethe new songthat we did, which came from a poem I wrote.
That was my third video ever.
I mean, hes the guy who would come over and help me hang curtains back in the day.
He was just a sweetheart, and hes superhot also.
Im like, Look, my friends cute.
And I got to destroy a mall, and there was a mall Santa.
Were not that violent, but we want to be.
It was a fun thing; there was an upside-down car.
Director Dave Meyers is just a genius.
Weve done20-somevideos together, and its crazy the stuff we get to do.
I feel like a stuntwoman most of the time.
Cant Take Me Homesong youd remake today
Istillhad a great time putting that together.
Its a huge memory in my life, and I still love that album.
I sound like a different person, like Alvin the Chipmunk.
My voice was so little when I was younger.
Split Personality, probably, I would revisit.
That was the first song I had written alone.
It was sunrise in Miami.
I later sang it toLA Reid,and he was like, Yeah, thats no good.
I sang it to him and he goes, Where have you been hiding this song?
Im like, Well, LA told me it was shit.
And he said, Excuse me while I go call LA.
Then he helped me record it.
It was a first for me.
Back then, they didnt want me to write.
Pop stars didnt; they just got handed songs and were told how to sing them.
I was like,This is bullshit,so I started writing my own songs.
Theres a purity and immaturity to it thats kind of painful to listen to.
I feel very motherly toward my younger self.
I wish the me now had been around for her then.
I wish I could give her a hug.
That girl really needed it.
But thats not life.
Life is like,I had a good morning, but my afternoon was shit.
Now Im going to have a little cocktail before dinner.
Dinners going to be great and then were going to argue afterward.Thats a whole day.
Best style era
I thinkFunhousewas probably the cutest Ill ever be.
I was 28,single,and ready to mingle.
I dont know if Id put it in a good category, but its definitely me.
Your kids favorite songs of yours
They always surprise me.
Right now, Jamesons stuck on Trustfall.
He hasnt even heard it in weeks and he is still running around the house singing it.
God, what does Willow like?
Shes like Captain Random.
But We Lost It, fromBeautiful Trauma, was her friends favorite song.
I was like, What?
How did you even hear that song?
Why do you even understand what Im saying?
No, theyre all so random.
Willow, I think she likes the ballads.
Maybe my songIrrelevantagainst the overturning ofRoev.Wade.That was touchy.
Also, the worlds gotten to a point where people cant really have differing opinions.
If I havea political opinion,it then becomes that you hope my children die.
Were no longer talking about politics; youve just become a person that wishes my children harm.
But the second I say something they dont agree with, then its Fuck you too.
Back in the day, people used to just release singles when vinyl was the deal.
Its lovely to be able to say, Okay, you want me to shut up and sing?
Song you couldnt have made earlier in your career
Most of them, to be honest.
They know in their heart that Im that person with them.
Later, it was going through a divorce or whatever it is.
Who Knew, for example I wrote that for 2006sIm Not Dead,what feels like forever ago.
I make a run at make those timeless songs all the time, but theyre hard.
A new song like When I Get There I couldnt have sung before my father passed away in 2021.
It comes out when it happens.
Thank you for subscribing and supporting our journalism.
