by What Could Have Been: The Dream Collaboration of Pink and Prince That Never Happened
The music world was shocked and saddened when legendary artist Prince passed away in 2016. His immense talent and genre-bending musical style inspired countless artists over the decades, including pop superstar Pink. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Pink revealed that collaborating with Prince was her ultimate dream that can now never come to fruition.
“Prince was one of the most talented artists of all time,” Pink told the magazine. “He was a master of his craft. I would have loved to have collaborated with him.”
Ever since this revelation, fans of both iconic artists have been imagining what music magic Prince and Pink could have created together. Though we’ll never know for sure what could have been, we can speculate on what a collaboration between the Purple One and the punk princess of pop may have sounded like.
Musical Kindred Spirits
Though Prince and Pink came from very different musical backgrounds, they had a lot in common as artists. Both were incredibly dynamic live performers with impressive vocal skills and a penchant for genre-bending songs. Prince famously blended funk, rock, R&B, new wave, and pop to create his unique signature sound. Likewise, Pink’s albums showcase her versatility as she delivers pop, rock, country, folk, and soul-infused tracks with punk attitude.
“Prince was always pushing the boundaries and trying new things,” Pink said in her interview. “I think we would have had a lot of fun collaborating together.”
Indeed, a team-up between these two restless musical spirits could have resulted in something truly groundbreaking. Both artists have a stunning gift for fusing styles in exciting ways. Surely they would have pushed each other in unexpected directions, blending their voices and talents to craft innovative new songs.
Powerhouse Vocals and Stage Presence
While their individual styles differed greatly, Prince and Pink shared undeniable charisma and stage presence. They also both possessed extraordinary vocal abilities to belt out notes with power and range. Pink is celebrated for her dynamic voice and emotionally-charged performances, while Prince delivered songs with passion and prowess. Together, their combined vocal talents could have created euphoric live duets and impressive harmonies in the studio.
According to Pink, she also admired Prince for his “musicality, his stage presence, and his overall coolness.” It’s easy to imagine these two larger-than-life performers feeding off each other’s energy to put on spectacular and unforgettable shows. Duetting on Prince classics like “Kiss” or “Raspberry Beret” could have brought the house down. The Purple One may have even coaxed Pink out of her comfort zone to deliver a sexy, funky dance number unlike anything she’s done before. The possibilities of their electric dynamic on stage together are endless.
A Meeting of Pop Royalty
By the time he passed, Prince had long been pop royalty, dazzling the world for over three decades. Likewise, since her debut in 2000, Pink has become one of the most successful and respected pop stars on the planet. A collaboration between these two pop music juggernauts would have been momentous.
Casual music fans may have been introduced to Prince for the first time through Pink and found admiration for her talents by Prince fans. It would have been a historic intersection of two massive fanbases. Prince could have introduced Pink to his iconic Minneapolis Sound, while Pink may have brought some of her songwriting prowess to the table. Together they could have elevated each other and created something universally appealing.
Most excitingly, Pink and Prince were both artists who enjoyed writing and producing their own material. A true collaboration between them surely would have meant these two musical masterminds composing songs together from scratch. Prince assisting with the songwriting on a Pink record could have taken her sound to thrilling new territory. Similarly, Pink’s catchy pop sensibilities helping Prince craft a hit single could have been extraordinary to witness.
Mashing Up Musical Worlds
One can only imagine the fusion of sounds that Pink and Prince could have generated in a studio together. Prince would likely have relished the chance to lend his production skills and instrumentation to Pink’s powerful pop vocals. Perhaps he would have brought in driving guitar and synth funk to Back upPink’s soaring voice on an upbeat jam. Or maybe Pink would have channeled her singer-songwriter side alongside Prince’s soulful keys to create a heartfelt ballad.
The possibilities are endless when considering how these two may have combined their diverse musical interests into intergenre magic. Could we have seen Pink belting pop-country lyrics over Prince’s signature Minneapolis funk? Maybe Pink’s early R&B influences could have aligned with Prince’s rhythm and blues roots for an old-school duet? An edgy Pink rock anthem contrasted with Prince’s pop piano could have also been unexpected and amazing. Music fans can only daydream about what innovative songs this dynamite duo may have birthed.
Channeling Musical Heroes
Part of the appeal of a fantasy Prince and Pink collaboration is imagining how they may have paid homage to some of their own musical heroes. Both Prince and Pink have expressed admiration for trailblazing artists who defied genres, like Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, and David Bowie. Perhaps they would have written a song reminiscent of psychedelic rock or folk-pop in honor of these inspirations.
We know that Prince specifically praised artists like Chaka Khan and Judy Garland, while Pink has covered Janis Joplin and referenced Freddie Mercury. Incorporating tributes to these vocal powerhouses into a collaboration could have thrilled longtime fans. Prince and Pink honoring their idols together in this way would have felt like a passing of the torch moment.
Pushing Boundaries
Of course, Prince and Pink were both envelope-pushing artists in their own right. Beyond just paying homage to those before then, surely they would have used this hypothetical collaboration as an opportunity to be innovative. Combining their sensibilities could have allowed them to create a recording unlike anything either had done before.
Maybe they would have ventured into new genres liketrap, bounce, or neo-soul together. Or perhaps they’d have tested out song structures with odd time signatures, tempo changes, and explored new moods and textures. There’s a good chance Prince would have encouraged Pink to pick up a new instrument while they wrote experimental new tracks. Fans surely would have been shocked in the best possible way by what these two iconoclasts cooked up.
Reimagining Each Other’s Hits
One very exciting element a Prince and Pink collaboration could have brought is the potential for them to cover or remake some of each other’s famous songs. Pink putting her spin on beloved Prince tracks like “Purple Rain”, “Little Red Corvette” or “1999” would have been spine-tingling. Likewise Prince artists applying his magic to Pink hits like “Get the Party Started” or “So What” would have been so thrilling.
Chances are the two artists would not have simply done straightforward covers but fully reinvented and made the songs their own. What if Pink transformed “When Doves Cry” into a sweeping ballad? Or Prince turned “Raise Your Glass” into a horn-driven funk workout? Remagining their respective hits could have delighted long-time fans with fresh new renditions.
Advocating for a Cause
Prince and Pink were also both outspoken advocates for various sociopolitical causes through their art. As a fiercely independent feminist, Pink empowers the underdog and gives voice to the marginalized in songs like “Stupid Girls” and “Raise Your Glass.” The trailblazing Prince confronted ideas about race, poverty, and injustice throughout his career. For two artists so dedicated to activism, their hypothetical collaboration likely would have carried a message.
Perhaps they would have written an anthem uplifting minority voices or a song speaking out against violence. Recording a charity single to support an organization or movement they believed in could have also been a possibility. Whatever cause they decided to champion, a socially-conscious song from these two versatile artists could have been a way to use their platform for good. Knowing their passion for justice, a Prince and Pink team-up may have been as thought-provoking and enlightening as it was musically captivating.
The Duet That Might Have Been
It’s tempting to fantasize that this mythical Prince and Pink collaboration would have resulted in a chart-topping, Grammy-winning megahit single for the ages. One can picture these two superstars debuting their creative chemistry live with a show-stopping performance at a major awards show. Their names appearing together on an album cover that would go platinum in a week is also an easy thing to envision.
But in reality this possible musical teaming may have looked very different. Perhaps they would have bonded initially through late night jam sessions at Prince’s Paisley Park studio. They may have decided to remain largely lowkey, producing an experimental B-side or non-single album track just for the art. While we can hope this creative kindredship could have spawned a forever iconic hit, speculating on the more subtle possibilities is intriguing too.
A Lasting Legacy
Of course, no matter what form the collaboration took or how successful it was, new music created by two legendary artists like Prince and Pink would have been remembered. Just the fact that such a team-up occurred would have been monumental. It would have marked a special cultural moment fans of both would have felt lucky to witness.
The tragic passing of Prince makes any retrospective collaboration with him now bittersweet. But it also reminds us that artists of his caliber and impact are rare. Though we are deprived of seeing what could have been between Prince and Pink, we can find some solace in the staggering body of work he left behind. Like Pink expressed, we are fortunate so many masterpieces exist from one of music’s great visionaries.
Prince will remain an icon eternal through the joy his art brings generations of fans, even after death. But we are still left to wonder what sounds and songs may have materialized in the studio with Pink by his side. Wherever their combined creativity may have taken them, surely it would have been a beautiful, strange, and funky ride.
