Sophia Michaels
At the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Pink was honored as a music icon and gave an inspiring speech to demonstrate why she was so deserving of the award. On March 27, Pink was presented with the iHeartRadio icon award by singer Kelly Clarkson at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Clarkson praised Pink’s authenticity and her “ability to connect with people” and expressed her admiration for the singer.
Prior to Pink’s speech, a video compilation of some of her most powerful performances, as well as home footage of her in her youth, was played. “I still have a lot of fight left in me,” Pink said in an interview excerpted in the clip. “I’m gonna blaze that path, and motivate and inspire.” Her acceptance speech was also preceded by a live tribute performance of Pink’s song “Just Like a Pill” by ’80s icon Pat Benatar. Then Clarkson reentered, backed by several women on strings, to sing 2012’s “Just Give Me a Reason.” Eventually, Pink joined Clarkson for a powerful duet of her hit track.
“Being on stage doing what I love, with people I love, and my babies in the audience, this feels like a Christmas miracle,” Pink said, adding, “Every room I walk into, my heart walks into first. Every lyric that I write is my heart crying.” She thanked her fans, “You have watched me do this, just sifting through life’s messiness, for 25 years.”
Pink also spoke about the importance of vulnerability, telling the gathered LA crowd, “I think as human beings we are vulnerable from the time we are born to the time we die . . . I have decided to make vulnerability my life’s work.” The artist, who walked the red carpet earlier with her children, Willow, 11, and Jameson, 6, concluded her speech by saying, “I’m grateful to be alive, I’m grateful I get to do this with my one precious life.”
This isn’t the first time Pink has been recognized as a music icon. In 2021, she won a similar honor at the Billboard Music Awards. During her acceptance speech at the time, Pink said simply, “I love what I do and I love the people that I get to do it with,” Billboard previously reported.
Check out photos and video of Pink at the iHeartRadio Music Awards below.
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