The iHeartRadio Music Awards took place on Monday. Pink received the Icon Award, which is great, but also kind of funny that an award show that isn’t even a decade old has an Icon award category. But Pink has been successfully turning out music for almost a quarter of a century, so I guess that works in pop culture math. She wore the Robert Wun ensemble above. I love the blazer and I love the idea of the pants, but the execution not as much. She brought her kids, daughter Willow in a pink tulle gown and high-top Doc Martens and son Jameson in a two-piece grey suit and white tennies. In Pink’s speech, she talked about her vulnerability and pledged not to be self-deprecating, which was her go-to defense. She thanked everyone who supported her and helped her get where she was. And then she thanked her husband, Carey Hart, by making a joke at his expense. Referring to the many times she’s written of their rocky times, Pink said, “if he loved me perfectly, I would have nothing to say.” Sometimes the truth hurts, I guess.
“Raise Your Glass” — Pink’s officially been crowned an icon!
“Thank you iHeart[Radio] for this moment. It has been said that miracles are often associated with icons,” she told the crowd before referencing her star-studded tribute performance from earlier in the night. “Kelly Clarkson singing with me, and Pat Benatar singing one of my songs, two of the greatest voices alive, being on stage, doing what I love with people that I love with all of my heart — and my babies in the audience — this feels like a Christmas miracle.”
Pink, 43, continued, “I usually do try to joke or be self-deprecating in these moments, but I want to be a better friend to myself tonight, so I would like to try and say something honest.”
“Every room I walk into, my heart walks in first. Every lyric that I write is my heart crying, raging hoping, screaming, pleading,” she said. “You have watched me do this, sifting through life’s messiness for almost 25 years. Some of you find what I do annoying, and some of you find it brave, and I just find it necessary.”
The performer then noted that people “are vulnerable from the time we’re born until the time we die, and many of us spend our entire lives running from that.”
“Vulnerability means the ability to be wounded. I have decided to make vulnerability my life’s work, and for those of you that have joined me on this adventure, I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” added Pink. “I’m grateful to be alive. I’m grateful I get to do this with my one precious life. Most of all, Willow and Jameson, I’m grateful to be your mama.”
She also thanked her manager Roger Davies before giving a cheeky shout-out to her husband and “muse” Carey Hart, as she’s written about the ups and downs of their relationship throughout her career.
On the one hand, Pink has an entire catalogue charting the ups and downs of their relationship so there’s no reason not to acknowledge that reality. I don’t have a problem with a couple that admits things aren’t all sunshine and roses, it’s hard to find a relationship that is. I just find it funny that Pink made a point of saying she wasn’t got to be self-deprecating because she wanted to be “be a better friend to myself tonight” and then took a pot-shot at Carey instead.
However, I really liked Pink’s speech and took much of it to heart. “Some of you find what I do annoying, and some of you find it brave, and I just find it necessary,” not only spoke to me, I can absolutely see it in Pink. All of her music feels like it was never a choice of being made, that she had to get those thoughts out in the world. It also explains why so many of her interviews feel like TMI. It’s funny how that same motivation makes for such moving art but off-putting talking points. Anyway, congratulations to Icon Pink. I’m sure this heady status won’t slow her down, she’s likely got a lot more music in her.
Photo credit: Instagram and Getty Images
I like what she has to say here and think it applies to a lot of people in her industry.
People can take it way too personally sometimes when a female artist has anything critical to say about her experience with a man. Even when she has been honest about her own shortcomings within a relationship, revealing unflattering truths about the man = rewriting his story. The story people need to tell themselves about poor straight guys caught in the web of singing succubi.
Her children ask her for space and she says no. After that I lost a lot of respect for her.
Do you have more on this? I never heard this.
She doesn’t allow her daughter to have a PHONE, not space. Even in the documentary when Willow asks for a break from tour, Pink immediately offers to call the grandparents if she’d like to go home for summer camp. Not giving them space doesn’t track.
I have never been an angry punk chick, but for some reason I have always loved Pink and her pop-punk music. I think it’s because she lets herself be vulnerable.
As for her comment about Carey — If she ever finds a couple who loves each other perfectly, that would be worthy of making a song about.
And her comment about being self-deprecating as a go-to struck me because I do the same thing. If someone compliments an outfit, I will say that I got it on sale. I make a joke at my own expense anytime someone says something nice or sentimental. I need to take a page out of Pink’s book and be a better friend to myself.
I do the same thing. Have my whole life. I’m not sure I know how to not be self-deprecating. lol
Always liked her, her music, her family, everything. Very cool lady.
I can’t explain it…
Maybe it’s how long she’s been with her dude, and doesn’t seem to ever give their relationship much credit.
Maybe it’s her 180 after her debut album.
Maybe it’s a lot of things (or nothing at all) but I haven’t been a fan of hers since 1999.
She’s no Beyonce- but there’s something very manufactured about her that I’ve never vibed with.
That’s all.