In a candid conversation on American 60 Minutes, Pink delved deep into a life-altering moment from November 1995, just weeks before the ink dried on her first record deal.
"I was out," the 44-year-old performer admitted. "Done. Too much." She had attended a rave during Thanksgiving, where she consumed "ecstasy, angel dust, crystal, all kinds of things."
When pressed about the gravity of the situation, Pink didn't shy away from the truth, confirming that she "almost died" that night.
Pink's teenage years were far from easy, as she described herself as "off the rails" during that period.
© GettyThe challenges she faced were manifold. "I was a punk," she recalled. "I had a mouth. I had a chip on my shoulder."
Painting a vivid picture of her tumultuous home environment, Pink shared, "I grew up in a house where every day my parents were screaming at each other, throwing things. They hated each other."
© GettyThis toxic environment led her down a path of drug abuse. “I got into drugs. I was selling drugs,” she added.
The world might never have heard Pink's distinct voice if not for a pivotal moment that followed shortly after.
© Tim MosenfelderMere weeks post the overdose, Pink and her band Choice signed with LaFace Records. The group emerged as the "token white girls on a Black label."
However, Choice's trajectory in the music industry was ephemeral, and it was in 2000 that Pink emerged as a solo artist, setting the stage for an illustrious career.
While this was not the first time Pink addressed her overdose – she had spoken about it to Entertainment Weekly in 2012 – it's evident that the incident wasn't an isolated episode in her life.
She revealed she was “a hardcore partyer from 12 to 15.” The year before her overdose served as another harsh wakeup call when her friend Sekou Harris tragically succumbed to a fatal overdose.
The near-death experience was a turning point for Pink. With unwavering determination, she asserted, "I never took drugs again, ever. Once I make up my mind, I’m done."
© Tim MosenfelderHer transformation wasn't just about abandoning a self-destructive path but also channeling her raw energy, the "metaphorical machete" she often carried, to carve out her niche in the world of music.
"I never got a record deal because I was cute," Pink remarked over the weekend. It was her fire, her voice, and her convictions that won over industry executives. "I got a record deal because I was fiery, I had a lot to say, and I had a voice."
Pink's resilience, talent, and dedication to her craft, combined with her personal journey, have made her not just a global sensation but also an inspiration to countless fans.
Today, Pink is not only a successful artist but also a loving mother to two children, whom she shares with her husband, Carey Hart.
