(1979-)

Who Is Pink?

Singer Pink is best known for her edgy pop music. She delivered a strong debut album with Can’t Take Me Home in 2000, and achieved superstardom as a co-vocalist on “Lady Marmalade,” from the 2001 Moulin Rouge! soundtrack. Some claim that Pink changed the scope of pop music and paved the way for artists like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga but has received little recognition for it. She has continued to churn out chart-topping hits like “So What” and “Raise Your Glass,” and is a prominent animal-rights campaigner for PETA.

Early Life

P!nk (pronounced Pink) was born Alecia Beth Moore on September 8, 1979, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Pink, as she’s otherwise known, gets her name from the movie Reservoir Dogs, a film she saw as a teenager and whose character Mr. Pink is someone her friends all agreed she resembled.

Pink was the second child born to Jim and Judy Moore. She experienced a largely typical middle-class life in a suburb of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Her parents’ tense relationship, however, caused the couple to divorce when Pink was three. Their split and the subsequent demise of the marriage sparked, in part, a rebellious attitude from Pink. “I was never allowed to go over to any of my friends’ houses when I was little, because I was a bad influence,” she said of her early life. “None of their parents liked me and my own parents were scared to death of me— and for me.”

Instead, Pink found solace in music, and as early as the age of 13 she was navigating the complicated Philadelphia club scene. By the time she was 14, she was already an experienced vocalist and dancer, and started to write her own songs. She also had a regular singing gig every Friday night at a Philly nightclub. But it proved to be a hard life for her to manage, as she was swallowed by a world of drugs (she nearly overdosed at the age of 15) and petty crime. She eventually dropped out of high school before returning to earn her G.E.D. in 1998.

Early Music Career

It was apparent, however, that Pink had a talent for music. By chance one evening, an executive from MCA took notice of the sassy teenager and asked her to audition for an R&B group that was forming. The group, known as Basic Instinct, welcomed Pink into the fold. Despite a record deal and plenty of studio time, the band never could find traction. Basic Instinct disbanded just two years after it was assembled. A second run with another R&B band, this one called Choice, also came to a quick end in 1998.

Albums & Songs

‘Can’t Take Me Home,’ ‘There You Go,’ ‘Most Girls’

For Pink, though, neither experience was a disaster. Her talent was too hard not to notice, and with the support of LaFace, Choice’s former label, she struck out on her own. She changed her name from Alecia Moore to her stage name of Pink, and started recording her first solo album, Can’t Take Me Home. Released in 2000, the record was a surprise smash hit, going double-platinum and creating two Top 10 singles: “There You Go” and “Most Girls.” It was a record that was bolstered by her tour schedule, which found her opening up for popular boy band *NSYNC.

Despite the newfound fame and success, Pink, who was never one to hide her true emotions, was far from satisfied. Fearful of being lumped in with the glut of pretty singers who dominated the market, Pink set her sights on a deeper, edgier sound. “There was no blood, sweat or tears on my first album,” she told London’s Daily Mail. “And no emotional exchange between me and the musicians. R&B is on a conveyor belt.”

‘Lady Marmalade,’ ‘M!ssundaztood’

She ended up finding a little more of what she was looking for in 2001 on the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack. Pink collaborated with Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Lil’ Kim in a soulful remake of Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade.” That same year, Pink released a single from her second album, “Get the Party Started,” a powerhouse hit that climbed into the Top 5. It was the perfect launch for her sophomore record, M!ssundaztood, a rock-infused record that went on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide.

‘Try This’

In 2003, Pink rewarded her fans with her third album, Try This, an even more rock-centric record that netted the singer a hit single (“Trouble”) and a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Despite its critical success, the album failed to grab the kind of attention and sales that its predecessor did.

‘I’m Not Dead,’ ‘Stupid Girls’

In 2006, Pink issued her fourth album, I’m Not Dead, a record that seemed to be Pink’s most honest lineup of songs to date. The record included the No. 1 hit single “Stupid Girls,” a pointed attack on the infatuation and celebrity surrounding people like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. “It was more of a social commentary on these girls, who think they have to be stick thin and have the latest handbag,” she explained. “There’s nothing wrong with being sexy, but you have to be sexy for yourself, not society.”

‘Greatest Hits,’ ‘The Truth About Love,’ ‘Just Give Me a Reason’

In 2010, Pink released Greatest Hits… So Far!!, a compilation album which featured her hits “F*ckin’ Perfect” and “Raise Your Glass.” Two years later, her sixth studio album, The Truth About Love, soared to the top of the Billboard 200 with multiple Top 10 singles, including the No. 1 hit “Just Give Me a Reason.” Her subsequent tour became the third highest-grossing tour in 2013, spawning close to $148 million in ticket sales.

‘Rose Ave.’ & Screen Projects

Outside of her famous stage name, Pink found time to explore other avenues of expression. She wrote songs for Cher’s album Closer to the Truth (“I Walk Alone” and “Lie to Me”) and for Celine Dion (“Recovering”). In 2013, she gained critical praise for her acting chops, starring as a sex addict, opposite Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow, in Thanks for Sharing. She has also made time to explore her more folksy side, releasing a chart-topping folk album, Rose Ave., with musician Dallas Green, under the band name You+Me.

Other efforts included recording cover versions of popular songs for movies and television, such as the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” for the animated musical series Beat Bugs (2016) and “White Rabbit” for Tim Burton’s Through the Looking Glass (2016).

‘What About Us,’ ‘Beautiful Trauma’

In August 2017 Pink unveiled a new single, “What About Us.” It was the first release from her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma, which shot to the top of the Billboard 200 upon its release in October. The momentum continued into 2018, with the pop star performing at the Grammys in late January and singing the national anthem at Super Bowl LII a few days later.

‘Hurts 2B Human’

In April 2019 Pink unveiled Hurts 2B Human, her eighth studio album and third in a row to top the Billboard 200. Generally well received by critics, Hurts 2B Human featured the lead single, “Walk Me Home,” as well as a collaboration with R&B singer Khalid for the title track.

Husband, Family & Personal

Away from the record studio, Pink’s life was also evolving. She married her boyfriend, Motocross star Carey Hart, in Costa Rica, after proposing to him during one of his races. But like her parents’ marriage, Pink’s union with Hart proved to be tumultuous, and just two years after they exchanged vows, the couple separated. Her fifth album, Funhouse (2008), drew from the raw emotions she was feeling from her separation. It also proved to be a huge commercial success, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard chart, and inspiring a wild, worldwide tour that featured the artist performing blindfolded and—in some instances—singing upside-down on a trapeze.

As always, music helped Pink to heal, and the reflection on her crumbling relationship with Hart helped the couple reunite. After much speculation, Pink revealed in a February 2010 interview with Oprah Winfrey that she and her husband were back together. The singer told Winfrey that her separation from Hart taught her valuable lessons about herself, and how to better function in a marriage. In June 2011 she gave birth to daughter Willow Sage. On December 26, 2016, the family welcomed a baby boy, Jameson Moon.

Despite her tough girl image, Pink has also shown a softer side to the public. She is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community and for the better treatment of animals, putting her celebrity behind campaigns sponsored by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She also supports organizations like Human Rights Campaign, UNICEF, and Save the Children.

Among her many accolades, Pink received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2019. Later that year she was named the People’s Champion of 2019 at the People’s Choice Awards. Upon accepting the honor, she implored the audience to go out and make a difference, noting, “Kindness today is an act of rebellion.”

Pink endured a scare when she and Jameson were diagnosed with the coronavirus in early 2020. After both recovered, the artist announced that she was donating $1 million to healthcare workers who were risking their lives by caring for others during the outbreak.

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QUICK FACTS

• Name: Alecia Beth Moore
• Birth Year: 1979
• Birth date: September 8, 1979
• Birth State: Pennsylvania
• Birth City: Doylestown
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Contrasting her edgy, tomboyish style with that of her female pop star peers, Pink has had huge success with hits like “There You Go,” “Raise Your Glass” and “What About Us.”
• Industries
• Pop
• Astrological Sign: Virgo
• Interesting Facts
• P!nk got her name from the character of Mr. Pink in the Quentin Tarantino film Reservoir Dogs.

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Pink Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/pink
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 16, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014