Compared to her pop peers, Pink's no "Stupid Girl" — so why does her new hit feel like a comeback? Why did she languish in limbo with her last album, Try This, and what's pulled her out of pop purgatory? If it were just a matter of a failed punky experiment or bad single choices before, Pink's hit the jackpot with "Stupid Girls," the first single from I'm Not Dead, due April 4. Her spoofs of singers and starlets make us laugh, so we're buying. But what's Pink really selling now?



MTV: Everyone's talking about your parodies of Paris, Jessica, Lindsay and Mary-Kate, but "Stupid Girls" is about more than that, isn't it?

Pink: People are going to think, "You're supposed to be a feminist, you're supposed to be supporting women," but I just can't support that, what the majority of these women are doing — or not doing, more like. It's just this mindless consumer culture, and it's such a wasted opportunity. Every time I see myself lying on that hospital gurney [in that video] I sort of wince. It's a $150 billion cosmetic industry, and what does that say about how we feel about ourselves? It's sort of pushing this image — shop, drink, party, don't think, shop, don't think. I just can't do that.

MTV: Have you read either "Backlash" [by Susan Faludi] or "The Beauty Myth" [by Naomi Wolf]? Together, they basically argue that consumerism acts to divert us. Instead of fighting for women's rights, we're fighting to find the perfect shoe.

Pink: Consumerism diverts us from thinking about women's rights, it stops us from thinking about Iraq, it stops us from thinking about what's going on in Africa — it stops us from thinking in general. I was brought up to question authority, and thank God for that. There's a lot of questions. A lot of people are into this escapism thing and don't want to think, and if you force them to think, you become boring. What can you do? I guess I can make videos. And it goes down a lot easier when it's funny.

MTV: We've gotten so much reader response since the video debuted, from fans who love that you've come back, to those who've called you a hypocrite for making fun of your fellow celebs and who questioned whether or not your aim is to be half-naked as well.

Pink: I love the discussion that's going on right now. It's always nice to be missed, but I don't feel like I ever really went away. I don't know where I'd be coming back from. There's always a backlash when you challenge people's convictions and their heroes. But I don't do all this so I can be in Us Weekly every week. I don't do this so that people think I'm cool. I don't do it for — it sounds ridiculous — the fame or the money. I have incredible dogs, I have incredible friends, I have a gorgeous husband who loves me. I'm good. I love to sing and put my music out there, and I hope I can always do that. But I'm not going to forsake who I am or my integrity to have these things that I can't take with me anyway. I never said I was perfect, and I never said anybody else doesn't have permission to make fun of me for what I do. I'm a walking contradiction. I'm a hypocrite sometimes. I'm a work in progress. But I'm working to be better. I'm seeking out smart people and responsible women, and I'm standing up for animals. I'm not making fun of a certain person, I'm making fun of an idea, and I think they're missing the point. Sexy doesn't have to come with the price tag of being dumb.

MTV: With this, and "Dear Mr. President" and the song you did with your father, "I've Seen the Rain," it seems like you've got a protest song vibe going.

Pink: I guess it turned out that way. I didn't set out for it to be that way at all. I'd [always] wanted to record that song with my dad, even before I had a record deal. I learned to harmonize to that song. He was my first rock star, my dad. He wrote that song when he was in Vietnam and it's still relevant today. It's a soldier's cry. And acoustic guitar, that's my love. I told him three things — I'm going to become famous, we're going to record that song, and I'm going to buy him a motor home. And so far, the only thing I haven't done yet is the motor home, because now he doesn't want one! He didn't believe I would just rent a studio and put him in there with a guitar and make him sing. He was so nervous, it was the most adorable experience for a father and daughter to share. He's just such a folk singer, I just love it.

MTV: Besides being more political, you're also getting personal again like you did on Missundaztood.

Pink: Purposely. With Try This, I realized that I needed to stray from the therapy. I was getting a little deep and a little dark. I was an escape artist last time. And now, it's OK. I've lived, I have a life again, I've got new pains, I had stuff to say. "Conversations With My 13-Year-Old Self" was a huge therapy session, because writing that song was, what did I need? I needed a hug, and I get it ... now. If I tried to hug my 13-year-old self, she'd try to kick my ass, and then she'd collapse and cry. "Who Knew" is about the death of friendship. You're best friends forever, and then three years later you haven't seen each other in two years — what happened? You grow apart and people come in and out of your life for different reasons, seasons. "The One Who Got Away" is the classic "Is this the one? Or is the grass really greener?"

MTV: You're a newlywed now. Did being in love make it easier to write love songs?

Pink: Being with [new husband] Carey [Hart] was the only reason I ever came close to writing a love song. He's the only one I ever believed. Yeah, happiness and easiness don't really do it for me, as far as being creative, so I tend to stick with what inspires me — pain, frustration, anger. Look at all the great poets out there, it's all devastating. I'm not saying I'm a great poet, I'm just making the example.

MTV: You had like 40 songs in the can, and you were working with everyone. People just kept popping out of the woodwork saying they were working with you: Rob Thomas, the RZA ... so how did you whittle it all down?

Pink: A track with me and RZA would be hot, but we just didn't ... I love him, but some things were just great ideas, and we didn't get around to it. We started hanging out and forgot to record music. I have a whole other album in my head that I listen to, and then I have the album we all agree on. That's the most heartbreaking part, the artist-commerce thing. It's fun to try and make a story and represent every part of your life and love from 14 songs. I think it's the closest I've ever come to marrying all my different loves of music, and my voice will always be the only consistent thread. The only thing I haven't tapped into is opera. I'm still trying to figure out how to get that in there.

MTV: Some of the songs sound so much more rock. Would you ever want to be a full-on rocker chick?

Pink: You can call me whatever you want, but the problem is I'll never be 100 percent fully anything. My music is all over the place, but where I come from is a punk-rock mentality — bring down the system, burn it all up.

MTV: Well, it seems like you want to do more than that ... In "Dear Mr. President," you're bending his ear about abortion, gay rights, homelessness and prison overcrowding. If you were campaigning — Pink for president — what would be your platform?

Pink: I haven't even tapped the surface. But I can only have a song that's three minutes long. I would never want to be president. I don't envy his position. But I do want discussion and dissent. Dissent is like my favorite word right now. The thing is, I love this country, I love living here, I love being an American. But I also love seeing different places and different cultures. I just think the beauty is in being able to talk about stuff. We're human beings — we're given the gift of speech and the power to help other species. So let's just talk about it. You don't have to agree with me on anything. But let's talk about it, let's try. What's the harm? We can shop later. Stores are open till 7.

One day she will pay the price for attacking other singers to further her career . I pray it happens with this album.

I doubt her new album will sell. She might have good first-weeks because of the controversy of 'Stupid Girls' but I doubt it will that well.

She's like the 50 Cent of pop music: has to attack other artists to draw attention away from her lack of talent.

I disagree...she doesn't lack talent...she has a great voice :-/

Awesome interview. I personally cannot wait for her album. And if "Stupid Girls" is any indication, it'll sell well enough (I mean, #12 in just two weeks is amazing.)

pinks not stupid, shes just a dude with ****

i hate this bitch, shes always making fun of popular women to get some fame. awww.

Oh no, P!nk is making fun of..gasp..paris hilton..mary kate..oh shes a horrible person. Please these people need to be taken down a peg, i think that P!nk is actually trying to show us that this is where our dollars go when we watch their movies; into sugery and huge ass sunglasses. Sure we want it, but its about time it changes.

*Hilary Duff (it's her in the video, Hilary has a chihuahua and it even looks like her.

great article and pink s album will do sell well listen to leaked songs before judging who knew, long way to happy, you and your hand, dear mr president, nobody knows, cuz i can all perfect and best i ve heard so far , this is gonna be my favourite album and soundtrack of my life :O

A big LOL for that.
I like her but, Pink IS Consumerism. A pop star? Pffft. She is just a wheel in a machine.

hahaha, actually i think she looks desperate to get back on the track but i love her anyways

and she has an amazing voice

why you think pop music cant change things? i think pop includes all types of music and influenced by all it s pop cos it s popular, i mean liked by ppl , shown on tv and stuff... even if no1 likes it ill still think she s tryin tı make the world a better place , i believed her cos she could have popped up another missundaztood instead of try this which showed me she is open to any kind of changes, would you choose to go in your way eventhough it s unpredictable and unsafe or repeat yourself to consume people's money?

I find it hilarious that both she and Eminem pick the easiest targets. She is such a *****....thats about the only think feminine about the ugly *****.

is it hilary?

exactly.....why didnt she pick on Whitney's 'crack addiction', Mariah's 'breakdown', Janet's 'boobgate' or Lil Kim's 'whorism'. Shes just a pretension arsehole who is bitter that these women are sexier and more interestin to see in the news than her. Even if she set her head on fire, nobody would really care. For someone whose name is based on a gimmick - 'Pink' she can talk about consumerism. Sometimes she needs to keep her stinkin darn opinions to herself.

i agree

I completely agree. She is such a waste of life. If I saw her in real life, I'm pretty sure I would bust a bottle over her face.

shut up

pink is so much more talented than the bitch in your avatar

i love this song ! xD ..but pink is awful