Pink shares that she nearly died from an overdose as a teenager
The "So What" singer also said that the experience helped kick start her music career
Aux News Pink
Pink may be known for flipping through the air in high-flying concert stunts these days, but she recently opened up about surviving something much scarier as a teen.
In a vulnerable interview with 60 Minutes, the “TRUSTFALL” singer spoke about getting into drugs as a reaction to living in a volatile home as a child. “I was kicked out of the house. I dropped out of high school. I was off the rails,” she shared.
This all came to a head on Thanksgiving day in 1995, when the singer says she overdosed on a combination of “ecstasy, angel dust, crystal, all kinds of things” at a rave. “I was out, done, too much,” she said, and responded “yeah” when the interviewer asked if she almost died.
Pink has spoken about this incident in the past, including during a 2012 interview with Shape Magazine (via People) in which she said she “remember[s] getting up off the floor in the morning—and that was the last time I ever touched a drug again.”
“It was also the day a DJ offered to let me sing on hip-hop night. His only caveat was that I couldn’t do drugs, so I didn’t,” the singer elaborated to the magazine at the time. “That’s the thing with me—once I make up my mind, I’m done.”
Weeks later, she had her first record deal as the lead singer of the short-lived R&B girl group Choice. “I was told to take etiquette classes very early on… it didn’t work,” Pink jokingly told 60 Minutes of that experience. “They were trying to turn me into something I didn’t want to be.” Soon after, the artist went solo with 2000's Can’t Take Me Home and 2001's chart-topping Missundaztood, and the rest is history.
“I realize that the machete I’ve always carried—this metaphorical machete that made me a really difficult kid—is what makes me really good at what I do today,” she said. “It makes me a survivor.”
You can watch Pink’s 60 Minutes interview below:
14 Comments
“remember[s] getting up off the floor in the morning—and that was the last time I ever touched a drug again.”I apparently had very different experiences with drugs than most celebrities. By the time I got to the point where shit like this was happening I was well past the point of clear-headedly deciding to simply pull myself up by my bootstraps and be clean from there on in. I envy these people, even though I doubt the narrative sometimes.
Everything I’ve seen about Pink suggests that she was wild as hell for a long time. I’m not sure I trust the “never again” claim here just because she had a big night.Also, OD’d / almost died would suggest she received some sort of medical attention – not just got all fucked up and woke up on the floor.
Yeah I’m sure the tale is condensed for interview purposes. Sometimes stories like this bother me because they make it sound like all a person who has a problem with drugs needs to do is snap themselves out of it and go on to conquer the world. Doesn’t work that way.
Especially someone whose family life is a wreck. The problems that drove the drug use in the first place are still very much there.
It me
“I’m not sure I trust the “never again” claim here just because she had a big night.”Are you suggesting that she’ll relapse? That was 25 years ago. Did you watch the interview? Know anything at all about her life and career? She’s fitter than any teenager could be. Her job is extremely physical and she’s profoundly grounded.
I’ve seen other interviews and short docs on her, yes. I know she’s got her shit together now, and has for a long time. What I’m not sold on is her spending an evening doing every drug in the “I learned it from you, Dad!” box and waking up the next day to say “whew! No more of that!” Quitting drugs cold turkey isn’t that easy, especially in the environment she describes.
I’m sure it isn’t easy. Not much is easy, really. She was 19. Nineteen year olds are extremely headstrong so I think it’s possible. I don’t know why it’s necessary to question her story and I don’t think there’s some low-key “I did it so should you” message. It’s part of her coming-of-age story, that’s all.
I think it depends on the person really, I can see having a near death OD putting someone off doing more drugs, obviously it doesn’t work for everyone.
“she said she “remember[s] getting up off the floor in the morning—and that was the last time I ever touched a drug again.”
Is that how overdoses work? You overdose, then you just pass out and sleep it off?
At least that doesn’t sound like complete horseshit.
I feel like I haven’t heard anything about Pink for years, and now suddenly, I can’t come to this website without reading a headline about Pink. Wild.
“remember[s] getting up off the floor in the morning—and that was the last time I ever touched a drug again.”Wait, so what have you been taking for headaches? Or a cold?
Because the only options are drugs???
“Pink shares that she nearly died from an overdose once passed out on drugs and then woke up in the morning with absolutely no ill effects”There, fixed the headline for you.