When P!nk released “So What” back in 2008, she sent the rock-pop scene into a frenzy with its outrageous lyrics and hilarious music video. But once the hype died down, P!nk had to figure out a way to keep the hit’s legendary status alive during her live gigs. And the idea she crafted ended up being just as outlandish as the song itself…
Music Man readers can watch P!nk freak out an entire arena with her death-defying “So What” performance in the viral video below—it’s already topped 2.9 million views to date!
P!nk, who turned 40 the year this live clip was filmed, hides in the darkness of the main stage; a live rock band bringing her hit single to life as fans scream in fiery anticipation. The stage lights rise, revealing the star in a glittering crimson bodysuit, placed in the center of some strange type of apparatus, her waist locked into a large black belt with thick ropes attached and sprawling off-camera.
And then, the shock factor strikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN01Pt_Fmj
The mother of two is launched high into the air like an acrobatic circus star, in a jaw-dropping moment which only becomes more terrifying as her song progresses.
She sings her first verse while suspended far above the fans who pack out the arena, serving her lyrics with fierce personality and all the quirks which first made her a living legend.
But as her chorus is unleashed, P!nk catapults into a fearless series of mid-air spins, her apparatus flinging her across the breadth of the arena as fans gaze up, jaws dropping.
Singing live through the antics, P!nk dazzles the crowd with her vocal skills, keeping absolute perfect pitch through each flip, spin, and flying movement, accidentally crafting the ultimate audition tape for any new Peter Pan musical that might come to light.
By her second verse, P!nk balances on the cusp of a thin platform placed in the midst of her ecstatic audience, taking a much-needed breather before she’s catapulted across the arena once more in another death-defying stunt. But that’s hardly all. Soon, she lands on the thin platform once more to perform some one-armed push-ups!
It’s absurd and almost obscene, but it’s the perfect complement to the song itself. “So What” was released in the midst of P!nk’s divorce from the father of her children, Carey Hart; her aerial performance capturing both the reckless freedom of her lyrics and the daring strength of newly single parents navigating a lifestyle alone.
This official tour clip comes from P!nk’s 2021 Amazon Prime documentary, “All I Know So Far,” which followed the star as she embarked on her Beautiful Trauma World Tour, as well as giving fans a glimpse of the mother behind the mic.
However, P!nk’s aerial acrobatics weren’t a one-off special to add some oomph to her documentary. The star has since recreated this “So What” performance countless times, and not just from the safety of a closed-off arena show. Check out the second video further up this page to catch P!nk flying through London’s Hyde Park above a huge open-air festival crowd during her 2023 headline act!