Pink Interview



Pop chameleon or the acceptable face of commercial punk? Time Out caught up with the enigmatic P!nk ahead of her debut Dubai gig to find out how the singer has evolved.

Who is Pink? Is she the anti-pop princess who’s outspoken tirades and ‘4real’ attitude have made her a poster child and spokeswoman for independent women around the world? Is she simply an all-American girl (born Alecia Beth Moore) who’s simply struck musical gold? Or is she a shrewdly constructed pop puppet, with an army of song-writing boffins pulling her strings to mould her into whatever the saturated market demands?

The latter certainly looks convincing. Want Pink (sorry, we can’t bring ourselves to use the fatuous exclamation mark) the political activist? Stick on ‘Dear Mr President’ and witness her jumping on the anti-Bush bandwagon. Is she an (unlikely) sex symbol? Remember her cavorting around in Burlesque underwear in the ‘Lady Marmalade’ video? Barbie-hater? Look no further than her guffaw-inducing song and video ‘Stupid Girls’ where she spoofs Paris, Li Lo, Jessica Simpson and every other musical non-entity. And for proof that she’s at the top of the pop-punk tree then head to the globe-straddling ‘Get The Party Started’ and its rabble-rousing chorus.

But as we sit down to chat with the now-married (adreno-junkie Moto-X star Carey Hart is her better half) 28-year-old decked out in a purple and green T-shirt, black and white checkered pants, requisite Converse sneakers and a scarf as a headband covering her now peroxide-blonde hair, who does she think she is?

‘I love to be sexy and smart at the same time,’ she says. ‘People just aren’t used to it. See, it’s usually either one or the other, but f*** that. I’m going out and buying some lingerie,’ she laughs. ‘And then I’m going to read the New York Times. I read the New York Times in my underwear!’ she says, her giggling fit lasting a full five seconds.

People also aren’t used to her longevity. In a world where today’s flop stars are tomorrow’s fish and chip shop workers, her fourth mega-million selling album, I’m Not Dead, is still riding high in the charts. And having shifted over 23 million records, she’s one of the biggest pop stars in the world, especially since Britney’s public implosion. But throughout her seven years in the public sphere, Pink has based her career on this diversity. On debut album Can’t Take Me Home, she was, thanks to the record-company’s moulding, a perfectly pixilated pop star. Written and produced with R&B don Babyface and responsible for part of the soundtrack to the utterly nauseating Save The Last Dance, she became the acceptable face of punk. But ashamed of her pop manoeuvres, she famously ditched the record company’s controlling influence and instead decided to announce herself officially with the release of the punctuation-blighted album, M!ssundaztood. With Linda Perry of Four Non Blondes, erm, fame onboard, Pink took full creative control of proceedings with ‘Family Portrait’ – a self-penned look at her troubled childhood – in particular resonating with troubled teens the world over. 2003’s album Try This, co-penned by Rancid singer Tim Armstrong (that’s not a statement) saw Pink play her rock card to critical but not commercial success. But it was last year’s album I’m Not Dead that shifted Pink into the stratosphere. With enough (s)punk to satisfy angst-ridden teenagers and with more hooks than an abattoir, not to mention the earth-bothering tour which saw Pink perform at Wembley Arena and open for Justin Timberlake’s American shows, it ultimately married her many pop personalities.

‘Oh yeah, everything changed with that album,’ she exclaims. ‘I woke up I think. I started paying attention, which was huge. It’s amazing how much more power you have when you pay attention. I took a lot of time recording this album, which made a huge difference. I kind of raced through the other ones. This one took a year, I wrote 40 songs and worked with the most amazing people and read amazing books and got engaged, voted, started reading the New York Times, got depressed, had to stop [laughs]. I just woke up, that’s why I called the album, I’m Not Dead – I woke up.’

A major part in this, essentially, growing up process, has been the fact she’s been waking up to her new husband, Carey Hart, for the past two years. Having vociferously spoken out on women’s independence in the past she might seem an unlikely bride (‘I surprised myself, I really didn’t believe in the institution of marriage and I don’t know that I still subscribe to it fully’ she says hesitantly), but there’s no denying the impact he’s had on her life, and consequently, career.

‘He’s really patient, as he’d have to be with someone like me,’ she laughs. ‘I’m insane. I’m very intense. I feel for him and I respect him because for some reason he just sticks around. He is just so innocent and just really good. He’s really good through and through.’

Carey has also helped reconcile her views on the media’s portrayal of women. As far removed from your archetypal pop princess as is possible in this image-dominated industry, she’s endured her fair share of insults. ‘It’s hurtful,’ she admits. ‘People call me chubby a lot in the press. Let’s talk about the important s*** here. I think it’s good that I’m with somebody like Carey who typically would have arm candy and he’s with a woman like me and I think that’s a good example out there. You can be smart, responsible, chubby and you can still have guys like this. You can still be respected, you can still be talented, you can still have good shoes [laughs]. There are not enough examples.’

Undoubtedly, Pink has grown into her part as a role model. Having eschewed the path laid out for her by her record company in 2000 in favour of going solo, she perfectly illustrated a strong DIY ethic while she’s used her position on the pop podium to speak out about various issues from PETA to Greenpeace and women’s clothing. And while previously she might have run a mile at the suggestion she was an icon for her generation (not that unlikely – she’s a former gymnast and regularly boxes to keep in shape), she now gratefully accepts her social responsibility. And hand in hand with that growth, her career has blossomed.

‘It makes me feel really good,’ she says, cracking an ice-white smile. ‘I was always scared of it because I’m not perfect. I have kind of an interesting back story that I wouldn’t suggest people follow. But I think the one good thing that makes me feel really good is that I’m king of my mountain and I’ll push anybody off that doesn’t deserve to be on it with me. And I’ll stand up there by myself for as long as I have to and have a great time up there. I have changed. I’ve become a woman.’

By Andy Buchan
Pink performed in Dubai on September 5th 2007.

Catacombs

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/v/eIpHjHDmLKU