When you talk to P!nk, you know you're going to get some honesty.
His candor – coupled with his self-deprecating attitude and searing humor – has not waned after the ninth album of his 23-year career, “Trustfall”.
The new release, out now, is perhaps P!nk's most stylistically diverse creation yet — vivacious dance-pop songs laced with rock undertones (“Never Gonna Not Dance Again,” “Runaway”) balanced by soulful introspection ( “When I Get There”, “The Long Way”). As he puts it, the new record is about the “roller coaster of life.”
P!nk, 43, also welcomed several guests on the album: The Lumineers, First Aid Kid and former duet partner, Chris Stapleton, near the album, “Just Say I'm Sorry.”
In support of “Trustfall”, P!nk will be embarking on a massive stadium tour starting in July (tickets are currently on sale). “Summer Carnival” will feature Brandi Carlile, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on select dates. The tour arrived at Wrigley Field on 12 August.
He'll be staying on the road through the fall with Grouplove and KidCutUp (also joining him for a stadium outing) for a spate of arena shows from October 12 to November 18.
P!nk (real name Alecia Moore) spoke to USA Today from her home in California about how her husband, Carey Hart, and their children Willow, 11, and Jameson, 6, influenced her new album, as well as what “Trustfall” means to her.
Q. I thought the first track on the album would be the exuberant tune of “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” and instead you reduce us all to puddles with this sweet piano ballad, “When I Get There.” Is that a tribute to your father?
A Yes. I lost my dad (in August 2021) and eight months later I lost someone who was very, very, very close to me. So within a year, I lost two of my favorite people. “When I Get There” is beautiful because it's simple. It's kind of filtering (thinking), I'm wondering where you are and if everything is okay. One of my favorite lines is, “You'll watch me when I make a mistake.”
Q How much has the loss of your father, coupled with the onslaught of COVID-19 you and your son experienced in 2020, colored this album?
A This album was a three year process. With the pandemic and the passing of my father, and any time your child is sick, the things that matter matter. And when a parent dies, it's like this suitcase that you're going to unpack for the rest of your life, which also makes you really think about, who am I and what do I want to be and what's stopping me from that? Then, what are my priorities? My priority is to live an authentic human experience and be completely transparent about it and to love and cuddle with my children for as long as they will let me.
Q You named the album — and a song — “Trustfall.” What do you believe in in your life right now?
A Leaving the house, taking the kids to school, going to work, going to the movies, going to the mall, voting in elections, having opinions, having a vagina. It all feels like it takes so much trust and I feel like we're falling backwards and we don't know when the ground will come. Trust is life for me. I just celebrated my 17th wedding anniversary, which are not the words I ever thought would leave my lips.
Q Instead, talk about “Hate Me.” Was it directed at someone in particular?
A Oh come on! I just said I'm married. (Laugh)
Q Did you write it after a really bad fight?
A Yes, that's bad. “Hate Me” is kind of a girl experience for me. This would be a polarizing statement, but men tend to demonize women and it's usually the women who take care of them and take most of their (nonsense). I feel like my father does that to me and sometimes my husband does that to me and I won't support him. I will not be the villain in your story. You won't be a victim around me. You will be responsible for your life and your choices and I will be responsible for mine. Can you tell I feel things really deep? (Laugh). Can you imagine being my husband?
Q What was his reaction to the song?
A That night I played the song for him. We weren't even talking and she giggled and said, “You're welcome.”
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