Pink ••••
Many people are familiar with PINK, the pop/rock artist. Most have heard her number one hit, “Don’t Let Me Get Me”. But if she had listened to me that song might never have reached the ears of the world.
We were working together on a shoot in the desert just outside of Vegas. The landscape was mystical. An endless canvas of muted tones, cool rock formations and endless sky. In person, PINK was genuine, thoughtful, and refreshingly down-to-earth. However, it was clear she felt a bit constrained by the client involved in the project. Though I’ll leave that story where it belongs. ( Between PINK and me).
To escape, we found ourselves retreating to the quiet of her limo. There, we talked. Really talked. About art, creativity, and the strange, beautiful tension between commerce and authenticity. It didn’t take long to realize that she is, at her core, a true artist. Restless, curious, and unafraid to explore bold ideas.
At some point during our conversation, one of us (wink, wink) suggested nude shots. It felt spontaneous, inspired, and completely in harmony with the environment and the mood. We were both immediately on board. Unfortunately, the client, who was financing the shoot, was not. So we came up with a slight change to our concept.
Pink had brought along a striking pink fur coat. An item that made absolutely no practical sense in the desert heat. Unless, of course, it was being used to for a photo shoot. So, with a bit of ingenuity and a shared sense of mischief, we created a series of images that were both artistic and rebellious. Pink, draped in that vibrant coat, nude beneath it, standing against the unique rock formations. The contrast was electric. We laughed, experimented, and captured something genuinely unfiltered and alive.
Later that evening, back at a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, Pink approached me with something personal. A poem she had just written. Not lyrics set to music, not a structured song, but simply words on paper.
She asked me to read it and give my opinion.
Now, you might assume that, as someone who writes songs and poetry myself, I would respond with care and perhaps even diplomacy. But this was Vegas, and I had already had a few drinks.
The lines she shared were intense. Phrases like “my parents hated me” and “I’m a hazard to myself:, or “I’m my own worst enemy.” Without much hesitation, or tact, I told her, “It’s too dark. It will never work.” Thank God she didn’t listen to me.
That very poem became a defining track that helped propel her career into the stratosphere. It resonated with millions precisely because of its honesty, its vulnerability, and its refusal to soften the edges.
Even more remarkably, we worked together again after that, Which suggests either a generous spirit or a forgiving nature. PINK, in my experience, is someone who understands that creativity involves risk, and that not every opinion, especially one delivered after cocktails, should carry equal weight.
If there’s a lesson in all of this, it’s a simple one: don’t ask for my opinion on a deeply personal song. Unless you’re prepared to completely ignore it.
