Pink has appeared on hundreds of stages during her career, so the one she took on at the Democratic National Convention last week was no stranger to her. But it was a big step for Willow Sage Hart, her 13-year-old daughter who accompanied her to perform “What About Us” at the event. It wasn't their first time performing together, but Pink knew exactly what to say to ease her daughter's nerves before they hit the packed audience.
“Just do what you want,” Pink told Willow backstage at the DNC, sharing the moment on Instagram a few days later. “Whatever you don't sing, I will. It will be brilliant.” Within seconds, they received their cue to head to the stage. The pair were joined by three backing singers and a guitarist for a stripped-down version of the roaring pop hit. After delivering her first lines to the song, Willow was treated to a standing ovation from the audience and a beaming smile from her mother.
Shortly before Pink's performance, a handful of people who have been affected by gun violence — from survivors to family members — delivered a powerful series of speeches calling for gun reform. “Our losses do not weaken us. They strengthen our resolve,” said spokeswoman Lucy McBath, whose son died as a result of gun violence. “We will secure the safer futures we all deserve. We will organize. we will advocate. We will claim the position.”
Other speakers included Sandy Hook Elementary School survivor Abbey Clements as well as Kim Rubio, whose daughter was killed in Uvalde, Texas, at the school. Also appearing on stage were gun violence survivors Melody McFadden and Edgar Vilchez. “Parents are reaching out to their kids,” Rubio shared. “I'm reaching out for the child I'll never hold again.”
Back in 2019, Pink received backlash from conservative figures after republishing Brian Bilston's poem “America Is a Gun,” which reads: “England is a cup of tea/ France, a wheel of ripe brie/ Greece, a short , squat olive / America is a weapon… Japan is a hot spring/ Scotland is a mountain flight/ Oh, you'd better be anything/ Than America as a weapon”.
At the time, Fox News contributor Britt McHenry shared a since-deleted tweet that read: “There is nothing 'better' than being American. In our turmoil, weaknesses, struggle, unity is what we need now. I believe that @pink. America is the country that loves you and helped you become a star. As a fan of your music, this disappoints me.”
The singer responded with a swift and direct defense. “I believe there is nothing 'better' than being human,” Pink said. “Every country has its beauty, its struggles. We must all think of people first. And I also believe that art is meant to provoke dialogue, which is what posting this poem just did. Disagreement is the cornerstone of democracy.”
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-dnc-performance-behind-the-scenes-1235089822/
