Pink (singer)
Pink |
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Pink (born Alecia Beth Moore on September 8, 1979), also known as P!nk, is an American singer-songwriter who first gained prominence in North America in early 2000 as a pop and R&B musician, before adding elements of rock into her later material. She has released four albums – Can't Take Me Home (2000), M!ssundaztood (2001), Try This (2003) and I'm Not Dead (2006) – and is known for her unorthodox clothing fashion, harsh yet soulful sound. Pink was named number twelve in the UK Music Hall of Fame of the twenty-first century, and her vocal skills have been compared to those of the late Janis Joplin, whom she cites as one of her idols.
Early life
Pink was born in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania and later moved to Doylestown, Pennslyvania. The daughter of Vietnam veteran James Moore and nurse Judy Kugel; she is of Irish American, German American and Lithuanian-Jewish heritage.[3] Pink's Jewish ancestry comes from her mother's side[4]; Pink herself does not adhere to any organized religion.[5] Her father played guitar and sang songs for her, and from an early age she aspired to be a rock star. Her parents divorced when she was seven years old. While in high school, Pink joined her first "official" band, Middleground, but the band never took off. She performed in Philadelphia clubs when she was fourteen years old. At age sixteen she was given the opportunity to fly to Atlanta and join an R&B trio called Choice, who recorded some songs and contributed "Key to My Heart" to the soundtrack of the 1996 film Kazaam. When Choice performed in front of LaFace Records executives, L.A. Reid was impressed with Moore and offered her a record deal as a solo artist.
Music career
2000–2002: Can't Take Me Home and M!ssundaztood
Pink began her career as an R&B singer, and LaFace was a predominantly urban label. She has since complained that because she chose to relinquish creative control to her record label, she did not like the type of music she made at this time or her image, which included bright pink hair. Her debut album, Can't Take Me Home, was released in April 2000. A substantial success, it went double platinum in the U.S. and produced two top ten singles: "There You Go" and "Most Girls". The album's third single, "You Make Me Sick", was released towards the end of 2000 and became a smaller top forty hit in early 2001, thanks in part to being featured in the film Save the Last Dance. In the same year she appeared with Christina Aguilera, Mýa and rapper Lil' Kim on a cover of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade" recorded for the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge!. The song topped the charts in countries such as the U.S., the UK and Australia and won a Grammy Award for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".
Tired of being marketed as another cookie-cutter pop act and eager to become a more serious songwriter and musician, Pink took her sound in a new direction and sought more creative control during the recording of her second album. She recruited former 4 Non Blondes vocalist Linda Perry, and together they co-wrote and co-produced most of the tracks on M!ssundaztood, which was released via Arista Records in November 2001. Its lead single "Get the Party Started", written and produced by Perry, went top five in the U.S. and many other countries. The album's other singles — "Don't Let Me Get Me", the Dallas Austin-produced "Just like a Pill", and "Family Portrait" — were also radio and chart successes, with "Just like a Pill" becoming Pink's first solo UK number-one hit in September 2002. The success of the singles pushed the album to five times platinum in the United States, with worldwide sales of thirteen million.[citation needed] The tracks "18 Wheeler" and "Eventually" were rumored as fifth singles, but after sales that exceeded all expectations, Pink took a short hiatus. M!ssundaztood was the second-best-selling album in the UK during 2002, and Pink was the best-selling female artist globally. The 2002 Faith Hill album Cry features a song co-written by Pink and Perry.
2003–present: Try This and I'm Not Dead
In mid-2003 Pink contributed a song to the Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle soundtrack, "Feel Good Time". Produced by electronic music artist William Orbit and based on the song "Fresh Garbage" by 60s band Spirit, it peaked outside the top forty on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. She had a cameo appearance in the film as a motorcross race ramp owner/promoter. "Feel Good Time" was included on non-U.S. editions of Pink's third album Try This, which was released in November 2003. Eight of the thirteen tracks were co-written with Tim Armstrong of punk band Rancid. Try This reached the top ten on album charts in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia in 2003, but sales were considerably lower than those of M!ssundaztood, and the singles "Trouble" and "God Is a DJ" did not reach the U.S. top forty. "Trouble" earned Pink her second Grammy Award (for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance") in 2004, and the singles were largely successful in Europe and Australia, prompting the release of a third non-U.S. single, "Last to Know". Pink toured extensively throughout Europe, but she made no plans for a U.S. tour.
Pink's fourth album, I'm Not Dead, was released in March and April 2006 through LaFace Records, and lead single "Stupid Girls" gave Pink her biggest U.S. hit since "Just like a Pill" and earned the MTV Video Music Award for "Best Pop Video". The second and third singles, "Who Knew" and "U + Ur Hand", respectively, did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, in spite of the popularity of the video for the latter on MTV's TRL. The album has been far more successful outside the U.S., reaching number one in Australia and the top five in the UK and Canada. "Nobody Knows" is the album's fourth single. Pink began her North American I'm Not Dead Tour in June 2006, and in 2007 she will be touring with Justin Timberlake on his FutureSex/LoveSounds tour. In 2006 Pink was chosen to sing the theme song for NBC Sunday Night Football, "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night", which is a take on "I Hate Myself for Lovin' You" by Joan Jett. She has also contributed a cover of Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good" to the soundtrack of the film Happy Feet.
A pink colored PSP was launched in August 2006 promoting the artist and Sony's Playstation Portable. The pink PSP will be released in Europe on October 2006 and include a Pink-themed Universal Media Disc (UMD), featuring music promos, interviews, and an exclusive track. As of September 2006, no plans have been made regarding the handheld console's release in North America.
Acting career
Pink appeared as herself in the films Ski to the Max (2000) and Rollerball (2002). After her cameo performance in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Pink looked for another film script and settled on the horror film Catacombs, which was shot in early 2006 and co-stars Shannyn Sossamon. "It's pretty intense", Pink said. "It's not only a sort of slasher type, scary movie; it's also psychological and shows how mean and cruel siblings can be to one another. I liked that part of it." [6] Pink was once on the short list of people to play Janis Joplin in an upcoming biopic titled The Gospel According to Janis.
Personal life
Pink dyes her hair frequently, but she is a natural blonde. On The Ellen Degeneres Show she revealed that there are real diamonds attached to her teeth. According to her, her dog's name is "Fucker", which she revealed in a live broadcast for MuchMusic in 2003, forcing broadcasters to censor the name in subsequent showings. Pink married Carey Hart in Costa Rica on January 7, 2006.[1] Before she began her relationship with Hart, she was rumored to have dated Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.
Pink kissed actress Kristanna Loken at the 2003 World Music Awards in Monte Carlo[2] and said she had a girlfriend at age thirteen. Pink doesn't identify as gay, but she says most of her friends are gay and that she's "had her moments."[3] She has worked with the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign and is a prominent campaigner for PETA, contributing her voice towards causes such as KFC's alleged poor treatment of chicken before slaughter. She sent a letter to Prince William, criticizing the Royal Family's guards' usage of bearskin for their headwear. In November 2006 Pink mentioned in the News of the World that she is disgusted with fellow singer Beyoncé for wearing animal fur.
Discography
- Can't Take Me Home (2000)
- M!ssundaztood (2001)
- Try This (2003)
- "Feel Good Time"
- "Trouble"
- "God Is a DJ"
- "Last to Know"
- I'm Not Dead (2006)
- "Stupid Girls"
- "Who Knew"
- "U + Ur Hand"
- "Nobody Knows"
Selected filmography
Year | Title | Role | Genre |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Ski to the Max | Herself | Action |
2002 | Rollerball | Herself | Action |
2003 | Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle | Coal Bowl Starter | Action/Comedy |
2006 | Catacombs | Carolyn | Horror |
Awards and nominations
Award | Category | About | Result | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | ||||
mxdwn.com | Album Of The Year | I'm Not Dead | Nominated | |
mxdwn.com | Song Of The Year | "Dear Mr. President" | Nominated | |
Yahoo Online Music Video Awards | Best Pop Video | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
Yahoo Online Music Video Awards | Best Female Video | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
Yahoo Online Music Video Awards | Best Fun Video | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
People Choice Awards | Favorite Pop Song | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
NRJ Music Awards | Best Female International Artist of the Year | Herself | Nominated | |
NRJ Music Awards | Video of the Year | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Video | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
TMF Awards Holland | Best Video International | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
TMF Awards Belgium | Best Video International | "Stupid Girls" | Nominated | |
TMF Awards Belgium | Best Album International | I'm Not Dead | Nominated | |
TMF Awards Belgium | Best Female International | Herself | Nominated | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Pop Video | "Stupid Girls" | Won | |
AIM Buddy Awards | Best Musical Buddy | Herself | Won | |
MTV Germany Golden Tape | 20 Times at No.1 on TRL Germany | "Who Knew" | Won | |
Glamour Magazine | International Solo Artist of the Year | Herself | Won | |
2004 | ||||
MTV Video Music Awards Japan | Best Video from a Film | "Feel Good Time" | Won | |
Grammy Awards | Best Female Rock Vocal Performance | "Trouble" | Won | |
Grammy Awards | Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals | "Feel Good Time" | Nominated | |
2003 | ||||
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Female | Herself | Nominated | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Pop Artist | Herself | Nominated | |
World Music Awards | Best American Pop | Herself | Won | |
World Music Awards | Rock Female Artist | Herself | Won | |
Brit Awards | Best International Female Artist | Herself | Won | |
Grammy Awards | Best Pop Vocal Performance | "Get the Party Started" | Nominated | |
Grammy Awards | Best Pop Vocal Album | M!ssundaztood | Nominated | |
2002 | ||||
Grammy Awards | Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals | "Lady Marmalade" | Won | |
Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards | Favorite Female Singer | Herself | Won | |
Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards | Favorite Song | "Get the Party Started" | Won | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Female Video | "Get the Party Started" | Won | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Dance Video | "Get the Party Started" | Won | |
MTV Video Music Award Latin America | Best International Artist | Herself | Won | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Song | "Get the Party Started" | Won | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Female | Herself | Nominated | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Album | M!ssundaztood | Nominated | |
Premios Conexion MTV (Conexion MTV Awards, Latin America) | Best Belly Button | Herself | Won | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Pop Artist | Herself | Nominated | |
Q Awards | Best Video | "Get the Party Started" | Won | |
Billboard Music Video Awards | Video of the Year | "Get the Party Started" | Nominated | |
2001 | ||||
MTV Video Music Awards | Video of the Year | "Lady Marmalade" | Won | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Video from a Film | "Lady Marmalade" | Won | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Choreography | "Lady Marmalade" | Nominated | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Art Direction | "Lady Marmalade" | Nominated | |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Pop Video | "Lady Marmalade" | Nominated | |
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Female Artist | Herself | Won | |
Blockbuster Enterainment Awards | Favorite Female Artist | Herself | Won | |
Blockbuster Enterainment Awards | New Artist | Herself | Won | |
Teen Choice Awards | Song of the Summer | "Lady Marmalade" | Won | |
My VH1 Awards | Favorite Video | "Lady Marmalade" | Won | |
My VH1 Awards | Is It Hot in Here or Is It Just My Video | "Lady Marmalade" | Won | |
2000 | ||||
MTV Video Music Awards | Best New Artist | Herself | Nominated | |
Billboard Music Video Awards | Best Pop New Artist Clip of the Year | "There You Go" | Won | |
Billboard Magazine | Best New Female Artist | Herself | Won |
See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of artists who reached number one in Ireland
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
Notes
External links
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- Articles lacking sources from August 2006
- 1979 births
- Alumnae of women's colleges
- American actor-singers
- American blue-eyed soul singers
- American dance musicians
- American film actors
- American pop singers
- American rhythm and blues singers
- American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
- American singer-songwriters
- American vegans
- Arista Records artists
- Brit Award winners
- Grammy Award winners
- Jewish-American singers
- Jewish American musicians
- LGBT rights activists
- Living people
- Pennsylvania musicians
- Kids' Choice Awards winners
- The NFL on NBC
- People from Philadelphia
- Rhythmic Top 40 acts
- People known by single-name pseudonyms