When Pink began writing on her ninth studio album, she was reeling from her life nearly coming to a halt.
The Grammy-winning artist and her toddler son, Jameson, suffered severe instances of COVID-19 just days into the pandemic, and then in 2021, her family lost two members to cancer.
Pink, 43, channeled her fear and anguish into “Trustfall,” which was released on Friday and chronicles her quest to accept even the most challenging changes.
The emotional album fluctuates between heart-wrenching ballads and dance-floor choruses, a sonic representation of the erratic mood swings that frequently accompany difficult times.
The opening track, “When I Get There,” is one of the most heartbreaking in Pink’s two-plus decade-long discography, with the singer looking to the heavens and asking her late father, “Is there a bar up there where you have a favorite chair? / Where you sit with friends and talk about the weather? / Is there a place you go to watch the sunset?”
Pink has been rewriting the rulebooks since she first appeared on the scene in 2000 as a neon-haired, boundary-pushing artist who went on to call out presidents in her music and scale buildings during live concerts.
This spirit of boldness permeates “Runaway,” a notable track that embraces life on the edge, as well as “Turbulence,” a stunningly beautiful reminder that anxiety-inducing roadblocks are only transitory.
At moments, Pink embodies the badass we have all come to admire. “Hate Me,” which she co-wrote with Adele’s creative collaborator Greg Kurstin, features a growl in her vocals that fans have not heard since her 2003 hit “Trouble,” as well as a chantey chorus that could have suited on her upbeat 2008 album “Funhouse.”
Nonetheless, the majority of “Trustfall” consists of softer, more emotional moments. “Just Say I’m Sorry,” which features Chris Stapleton, emphasizes the need of letting go of pride in a high-stakes relationship. “Lost Cause” is a piano-driven track that normalizes arguments in relationships but begs partners not to take nasty jabs just for the fun of it.
Although though the album’s 13 tracks traverse a variety of genres, the album’s overriding concept remains consistent. The euphoric Max Martin-produced lead single “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” says it all: “We’re never getting younger, so I’m going to have some fun.”
And, Pink, also us.
»The new Pink album, ‘Trustfall,’ will make you cry, dance, and then cry again«