What About Us (Pink song)


"What About Us" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Pink for her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma. The song was released for digital download and streaming on August 10, 2017, by RCA Records as the album's lead single. It was written by Pink, Johnny McDaid, and Steve Mac, while produced by the latter of the three. Musically, the song is an EDM track with upbeat dance production that blends repetitive chords, synths, and drum machine beats. Inspired by the political state at the time, Pink composed it as a political protest song with poetic and inclusive lyrics. Lyrically, the song delves into her belief that the government has failed people and paints a message about those who feel unheard or forgotten.
The song garnered mostly positive reviews from music critics, many of whom commended the production and Pink's vocal performance. Others appreciated the political message of "What About Us" and the anthemic nature of the composition. Commercially, it peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and gave Pink her record-breaking ninth song to top the Adult Pop Songs chart, surpassing Katy Perry as the soloist with the most chart-topping songs on the chart. The song reached the summit on the national charts of eight countries, including Australia, Poland and Switzerland. It further peaked within the top 10 in 12 other territories, including Canada and the United Kingdom. The song was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
An accompanying music video was directed by Georgia Hudson and released on August 16, 2017. It depicts Pink and members of minority groups performing several choreographed routines in an abandoned city while being chased by helicopter searchlight hovers. The video received positive reviews from critics, who praised the choreography and the representation of oppressed groups, as well as the overall political theme. To promote the song, Pink performed "What About Us" live for the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, Saturday Night Live, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, among other televised appearances, as well as her Beautiful Trauma World Tour. The song has been covered several times through live performances by artists such as Kelly Clarkson and Liam Payne.

Writing and inspiration

After conducting the The Truth About Love Tour in support of her sixth studio album The Truth About Love, Pink took a nearly four-year hiatus to focus on her personal life and become reinspired. During the hiatus, she concentrated on her family and living "a normal life", which influenced the music. 50 songs were composed throughout the development of Beautiful Trauma, including "What About Us". The track was written by Pink alongside Johnny McDaid and Steve Mac, with production being handled by Mac. In an interview with Vulture, Pink talked about the experience of writing the song, stating that "it was just another day I was angry about what's happening in the world". The singer decided to have discussions and anecdotes with McDaid to develop ideas for the album's songs, and McDaid noted that she had "so much to say" and expressed herself "really profoundly". "What About Us" was written and recorded during the session; Pink added that "those are those kinds of songs where it just falls out of you, that's why I think you're just a vessel when you're being creative". When asked about the creation of the song, McDaid said,

"From my perspective the creation of it is about looking into yourself, interacting. It's like alchemy, you know, you interact with the person there in the room and these things, these ideas come out and what the ideas are for are probably different to even the person hearing it. And that's the beauty of her, she really allows people to receive her music the way they do."

Composition and lyrical interpretation

Musically, "What About Us" is an upbeat EDM song, with a length of 4:29. The synth-heavy production of the song makes use of "pounding" drums, "glistening" keyboards and a "pulsating" dance beat. It draws influences from four on the floor, club, and electronic music. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, the song is set in the time signature of common time and is composed in the key of A major, with a moderate tempo of 114 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Fm–D–A, with Pink's vocals spanning one and a half octaves, going from A to E.
Music journalists noted that "What About Us" starts as a ballad, featuring piano and acoustic arrangements, and appears to be about a relationship at first. Mike Nied of Idolator described the song as "part break-up anthem, part political call to arms". Gil Kaufman of Billboard shared a similar sentiment, feeling that the lyrics can be interpreted as "commenting on the state of the world, or the state of the heart". "What About Us" was described by Pink as a political protest song that provides social commentary on her belief that the government has failed people. According to Pink, the "more sophisticated" nature of the song stemmed from the poetic and inclusive lyrics, which depict a message about the people around the world who feel ignored or forgotten. The track also took inspiration from the 2016 United States presidential election and the current political state.
In an interview with Billboard, McDaid explained that the song "is a question, not an instruction", and the unclear question is "essential to its brilliance". According to him, Mac's technique of using repetitive chords can be compared with a heartbeat or a mantra, giving the song a sense of "this incredible, epic celebration" and unity. "What About Us" sees Pink asking urgent questions during the "insistent" and "soaring" chorus, singing, "What about us?/ What about all the times you said you had the answers?/ What about us?/ What about all the broken happy ever afters?" Ross McNeilage of MTV and Justin Moran of Out both observed political undertones behind the aforementioned lyrics; McNeilage believed that they can "definitely be taken as an anthem of resistance to the current state of political affairs", while Moran said that the questions are addressed to "a dishonest political leader".

Release and artwork

Prior to the single's release, in July 2017, Pink teased its release through a recording from the set of the music video via her social media page. Pink officially revealed the release date of "What About Us" on July 24, 2017, through a picture on her social media. The image shows the singer standing with her back turned, in front of a city landscape and a police car. Pink later unveiled the single's artwork, which is a black-and-white picture that shows her in a group with "beautifully diverse" models. The picture was photographed by Ryan Aylsworth. "What About Us" was released for digital download and streaming on August 10, 2017, by Pink's record label RCA Records as the lead single from Beautiful Trauma, along with the pre-order of the album. An accompanying lyric video was uploaded to Pink's YouTube channel simultaneously with the song's release. RCA Records also released the track to be added to Italian contemporary hit radio stations on the same date. A CD single was made available in Germany on August 18, 2017 through Sony Music. On September 15, 2017, a remix EP with four versions of "What About Us" was released for digital download and streaming in various countries through Pink's record label. On October 20 of the following month, a remix of the song by Dutch DJ Tiësto was made available for digital download.

Critical reception

"What About Us" was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics. Althea Legaspi of Rolling Stone considered it an "emotional dance floor anthem". Writing for The New York Times, Caryn Ganz commended the track and highlighted Pink's vocals in particular, saying, "she lets the emotion in her tremendous voice do the heavy lifting, shifting from wonder to frustration to anger". Vulture writer Dee Lockett was impressed by the song's upbeat production in contrast to the lyrics about "capturing such a desperate mood". Louise Bruton from The Irish Times viewed the song's message as addressing "the marginalised and the mistreated". While reviewing Beautiful Trauma, Nied praised the track for being an "insightful statement" and lauded the "effortlessly cool" production. Mike Wass, also from Idolator, favored the blending of acoustic and electronic elements. He also praised the singer for being able to create a political song "without being obnoxious". Lewis Corner of Gay Times called the track "a scaling anthem ready for an arena show". Labelling "What About Us" as an "empowering ballad", Raisa Bruner from Time said the song marks a departure from Pink's "bombastic tendencies" and showcases "the depth of her feelings", as well as Pink's powerful voice. Allison Bowsher of Much opined that it is "her most politically and socially conscious song to date".
In his review of Beautiful Trauma for Variety, Chris Willman labelled the song a "sad dance-floor thumper" with beseeching "soul-searching" lyrics. Hilary Hughes of MTV News praised the song's production, stating that it sounded "steady, dance floor-ready", and he positively compared the song to Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars". Likewise, Andrew Unterberger from Billboard noted similarities between the "spectral EDM foray" of "What About Us" and "A Sky Full of Stars". According to Unterberger, the "anthemic" song also has themes of "hurt, anger and fear". Deeming the track as a "political anthem", Moran complimented the powerful message of "honest desperation and untouchable strength". In his review of the album, Slant Magazines Josh Hurst considered the song "spacy atmospheric". For Lauren Moraski from HuffPost, "What About Us" was a "strong pop song that showcases Pink's vocal chops". Chris Gerard from the Washington Blade described the track as a "yearning, emotional anthem"; the author also noted Pink's "sincere and deeply felt" vocals, feeling that the song is "among the finest singles" of her career. ABC News critic Allan Raible named "What About Us" one of the standout tracks from Beautiful Trauma and wrote that the singer's vocal performance gives it a "surprisingly organic heft". On a more critical note, The Guardians Gavin Haynes labelled the song as "the worst sort of Katy Perry anthemics about how we're all just 'rockets pointed up at the stars'". Awards wise, "What About Us" received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual ceremony.

Commercial performance

In the US, "What About Us" debuted at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 26, 2017, although it was released during the last day of the tracking week. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the song sold 16,000 copies in its first day of release, entering the US Digital Songs chart at number 30. After its first full week of tracking, "What About Us" ascended to peak at number 3 on the chart and rose to number 29 on the Hot 100, selling 55,000 copies and becoming Pink's 23rd top 40 song on the chart. The track eventually peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100, following the release of Beautiful Trauma. "What About Us" debuted on the US Radio Songs chart at number 41, with 30 million audience impressions, and went on to peak at number 3 on the chart. It further peaked at number 10 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart for the week ending November 11, 2017.
The track became Pink's ninth song to reach the summit of the US Adult Pop Songs chart, thus breaking her tie with Katy Perry and giving her the distinction of being the solo artist with the most chart-topping songs, as well as placing her second on the list of artists with the most number one singles on the chart, behind Maroon 5. It also topped the Adult Contemporary chart, becoming Pink's fourth number one single on the chart. "What About Us" reached the summit of the US Dance Club Songs chart on October 28, 2017, aided by remixes from Cash Cash, Barry Harris, and Madison Mars, among others. Nielsen SoundScan reported in October 2017 that the song had moved 290,226 total copies in the US. It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 1,000,000 certified units in the country. In Canada, the song peaked at number six on the Canadian Hot 100 and ultimately received a triple platinum certification from Music Canada for accumulating 320,000 equivalent sales units.
"What About Us" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 83 for the issue date of August 17, 2017, and rose to number 5 the following week, selling 22,816 units and becoming Pink's 19th top 10 song in the United Kingdom. The track climbed to its peak of number three in the fourth week, selling 33,584 units and spending three non-consecutive weeks at the peak position. The song was later certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for accumulating sales of 600,000 units in the UK. Across the rest of Europe, "What About Us" experienced commercial success, reaching the summit of the charts for eight countries, such as Poland and Switzerland. The song reached the top 10 in 12 other countries, including Austria, Germany, and Italy. In France, the track peaked at 19 and sold 28,900 copies in 2017. It was later certified platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique for accumulating 133,333 equivalent sales units in France. Elsewhere, "What About Us" debuted at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart and held the summit for two consecutive weeks, with it also standing as Pink's ninth number one single. The song has since been certified four-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association, signifying sales of 280,000 equivalent units in Australia. The song peaked at number nine on the New Zealand Top 40 Singles chart on the report dated October 23, 2017. It was later awarded a platinum certification by Recorded Music NZ, with over 30,000 equivalent units sold in the country.

Music video

Background and development

The music video for "What About Us" was directed by Georgia Hudson and produced by Sacha Smith. In an interview with Promo News, Hudson detailed the process of making the video, saying that she desired to record an "emotional dance film". Choreography was handled by Nick Florez and RJ Durell, known collectively as the GoldenBoyz, with the video including several choreographed routines. According to Hudson, this allowed the dancers to express "their frustration and feeling towards the current political climate", demonstrating a sense of "expression community". Kim Bowen and Elise Navidad chose outfits inspired by the UK art school scene for the visual, which were described as a fusion of "grunge with folk, or punk with tie-dye and sportswear". Explaining the dance scene between two men, Hudson said that she had the idea "to illustrate a condensed version of the course of a relationship". The scene grows in intensity and it is set in a space for them to behave "animalistic, raw and unexpected". The final desert dance "moved to tears" and was inspired by a dream that the singer had. Steve Annis used a real helicopter as a top light for the video, which operated with 40-80mm zoom lenses. Hudson called the helicopter usage "a totally unique experience". The music video was released on August 16, 2017.

Synopsis

The main theme of the politically-charged music video is a lost generation of abandoned and unheard people uniting through the power of dance, symbolizing love. The video commences with a series of interspersed scenes that show an urban area, a helicopter police chase, two men hugging, a group of social outcasts consoling one another, and Pink staring into the camera while her hair is shaved off. The audio contains samples of people protesting racism and police brutality, as well as political speeches, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie giving the keynote speech and introducing then-candidate Donald Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention. The audio of Christie crossfades as a man says, "We are going to reject hate! We are going to reject racism!"
As the song opens, the clip shows Pink with a diverse group of people, dancing in a parking lot surrounded by abandoned police cars that flash their lights. When the chorus begins, the video cuts to a scene where the singer and minority groups, including immigrants and same-sex couples, stare into the spotlight of a helicopter hovering overhead. They are the only populates of the bleak, abandoned city where the visual is set. In the following scene, a gay couple are shown struggling, fighting and embracing, while a helicopter searchlight hovers overhead. Interspersed scenes show Pink singing and wearing a black hoodie with gold sequin pants, while sporting a triple ponytail. The clip continues with the singer and her dancers performing choreography in a diner. Following on from this, several shots of Pink standing on top of a car are shown, donning the same silver jacket that she wears on the cover of Beautiful Trauma. At the end of the video, Pink and her dancers are seen performing in the desert. During the final scene, the audio of a man saying, "Now is the time to protect our community" is heard.

Critical reception

The music video was met with positive reviews from critics. Eric King of Entertainment Weekly opined that the video emphasizes the song's political message and praised the "powerful same-sex dance routine", saying, "It's an emotive watch, and one that makes a clear statement about life for minorities in Trump's America." Rolling Stone writer Daniel Kreps labelled the visual as "stirring", while likening the storyline and concept to "those whose rights are in danger in Trump's America: immigrants, same-sex couples, minorities and more". Lyndsey Havens from Billboard described the video as "wild" and "heavy on hard-hitting dance moves". Taylor Henderson of Pride pointed out Pink's consistent releasing of music videos that "tell stories with choreography" and opined that the visual was "a timely and incredible addition to Pink's catalogue of hits". Wass deemed the video as "a call for acceptance and togetherness", noticing that it is " most choreography-heavy video in years". Maeve McDermott of USA Today felt that the visual gives a different meaning to the song and can be seen as "a message to those in power from the people they left behind". McNeilage praised the video for being a political "direct protest", while writing that "the two male dancers' beautiful performances is a clear highlight". Bowsher likened the contemporary dance theme of the "What About Us" music video with the visual for Pink's 2012 single "Try". She commended the use of dance as "an effort to connect people on a different level" and a way to express fear, sadness, and despair.

Live performances

Pink performed "What About Us" live for the first time at Waldbühne in Berlin, Germany, on August 11, 2017. During Pink's headline set at the V Festival that year, she performed the song along with older material. At the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, Pink was presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and sang the song as part of a greatest hits medley. Her performance was met with positive reviews by critics. Hughes felt that the performance included "some of the most breathtaking choreography of the night", while Nicholas Hautman of Us Weekly praised the "impressive dance break" and the singer's "impeccable vocals". The next performance of the song was delivered by Pink for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, on September 6, 2017. Two days later, Pink performed the song for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. She was a main headliner at the 2017 Kaaboo Del Mar Festival, where her setlist included a performance of "What About Us", among other singles from her catalogue. On September 22 of that year, Pink performed a medley of "Raise Your Glass", "What About Us", "Funhouse", "Just Like Fire", and "So What" at the iHeartRadio Music Festival.
She performed "What About Us" for Saturday Night Live on October 14, 2017, wearing a brown tweed vest, a jacket, and large gold hoop earrings. Two days later, the singer performed the song during her appearance on Good Morning America. On October 22, 2017, Pink performed "What About Us" during CBS Radio's We Can Survive benefit concert at the Hollywood Bowl for breast cancer awareness. On November 1, 2017, Pink appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and sang "What About Us". She appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden in the Carpool Karaoke segment on November 15 of that year, singing her previous singles as well as "What About Us". In the UK, Pink promoted Beautiful Trauma by performing "What About Us" for The Graham Norton Show on December 1, 2017. She performed the song live on the finale for the 14th series of The X Factor UK two days later. On December 5, 2017, Pink traveled to France and performed a concert at the Élysée Montmartre in Paris as part of the NRJ Music Tour, with her setlist including "What About Us". The singer later appeared on French television show Quotidien, where she was interviewed and performed "What About Us". On December 10, 2017, Pink performed the song on The Voice of Germany. The track was also performed as part of the Beautiful Trauma World Tour, being preceded by a video interlude that features Pink talking about the Me Too movement, gay marriage and inclusion.

Cover versions

Dutch singer Davina Michelle covered the song in August 2017. After watching the performance as part of Glamours "You Sang My Song" video series, Pink was impressed and praised her cover, saying, "That is better than I will ever sound." On November 3, 2017, English singer Liam Payne performed a stripped-down version of "What About Us" as part of BBC's Sounds Like Friday Night music series. Kesha Watson of Much praised his cover, feeling that "Payne handled himself very well, adding his own flare and pulling it off perfectly". In January 2018, Spanish singer Miriam Rodríguez covered the song for the ninth series of music competition Operación Triunfo. In November 2019, American singer Kelly Clarkson covered the song on her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, as part of the "Kellyoke" segment. Meredith Kile‍ of Entertainment Tonight said that Clarkson's voice "fits perfectly" into a version of the song and her performance " us to keep fighting for those happy ever afters".

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Management
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of "What About Us".

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Belgium 77
Belgium 95
CIS 116
Hungary 17
Israel 23
Romania 45
Slovenia 29
Switzerland 88
Ukraine Airplay 24
US Adult Contemporary 3
US Adult Top 40 24

All-time charts

Certifications

Release history