Pink’s Breathtaking 2010 Grammy Performance Still Stands as Her Single Greatest Show

Pop icon Pink has given fans around the world countless memorable and stunning performances over her decades-long career. From flying high above audiences while belting out hits to her gravity-defying acrobatics and dazzling aerial stunts, Pink’s live shows are an experience like no other. However, when asked by Rolling Stone what she considers to be her single greatest performance ever, Pink pointed to her unforgettable 2010 Grammy Awards appearance.

During the 2010 Grammys, Pink delivered an absolutely show-stopping rendition of her hit song “Glitter in the Air” while suspended high in the rafters of the arena, delivering flawless vocals as she pulled off the jaw-dropping aerial theatrics. It was a performance that left the audience in awe and went down in Grammy history as one of the most unforgettable and iconic live moments ever seen on the Grammy stage.

The Making of an Iconic Grammy Moment: Months of Rigorous Training

While it may have seemed effortless as Pink spun and twirled through the air on stage that night, the singer’s 2010 Grammy performance was actually months in the making and required intensive training and preparation.

In interviews looking back on the experience, Pink shared just how grueling the training process was for her special Grammy performance. In order to pull off such daring aerial acrobatics and sing live at the same time, Pink worked for several months with a Cirque du Soleil trainer to master the choreography and build her stamina and strength.

This intensive training process included hours spent dangling from harnesses and ropes, learning how to gracefully move through the air while singing. She practiced the routine over and over, ensuring every movement was precise and perfected. This exhaustive training was done in addition to Pink’s usual vocal practice and rehearsals.

“We spent months rigging up that performance, and I spent months training and getting in shape for it. It was the most physical work I’ve ever done for a performance,” Pink said of her iconic Grammy moment.

For Pink, the decision to undertake such a hugely ambitious and physically demanding performance came from her desire to create a singular, showstopping Grammy moment after a decade of attending the awards show.

Pulling Off the Impossible: The Technical Feats of the Performance

When it came time for the big night, Pink and her team had to execute the most technically complex rigging ever assembled for a Grammy performance. The setup involved extensive rigging across the entire Staples Center ceiling so that Pink could perform while untethered, flying freely through the air instead of relying on wires.

The production utilized state-of-the-art wireless vocal tech so that Pink could deliver perfect, uninterrupted vocals as she effortlessly spun and flipped midair. Additional systems were put in place so that lighting, pyrotechnics, and stage effects could be perfectly timed and coordinated with Pink’s aerial choreography.

Months of planning and engineering went into not only suspending Pink 40 feet in the air, but allowing her to achieve such dramatic aerial stunts and effects seamlessly throughout the performance. The flawless execution of the elaborate behind-the-scenes rigging was just as key to the jaw-dropping performance as Pink’s vocals and physicality on stage.

“Our team built special rigging for her that allowed her to sing and do aerial stunts at the same time. Things like that just hadn’t been tried on a big live performance before,” said Pink’s tour director and production designer, Baz Halpin.

Harnessing Raw Emotion and Vulnerability on the Biggest Stage

While the physical, technical elements of Pink’s 2010 Grammy performance were extraordinary, most fans and critics agree that it was the raw emotion she brought to the performance that made it truly iconic.

While effortlessly demonstrating breathtaking physical strength and control, Pink also poured every ounce of her being into the vocals and emotional delivery of the song. Dangling high above the audience in a stunning, glittering pink dress, Pink was the picture of vulnerability, holding nothing back as she belted out the heartfelt lyrics.

In the lead up to the performance, Pink said she was overwhelmed by feelings of intense nervousness and anxiety about the risks involved. But she ultimately leaned into that vulnerability, using it to connect even more deeply with the meaning and emotion behind “Glitter in the Air.”

“That kind of vulnerability and rawness has always been at the heart of Pink’s appeal as an artist. People felt the honesty and fearlessness she brought to that Grammy performance,” said Ryan Schreiber, Chief Creative Officer at Pitchfork.

Many consider the performance to be a defining career moment for Pink as she commandeered the massive Grammy stage and captivated the world with nothing more than her sheer vocal prowess and willingness to bare her soul through song.

The Lasting Legacy and Acclaim for Pink’s Grammy Moment

In the years since Pink’s show-stopping 2010 Grammy appearance, the performance has only grown more iconic and acclaimed. It remains one of the most talked about and referenced Grammy performances of all time.

The visual of Pink spinning high above the arena in her glittering pink gown has joined the canon of the most indelible images in Grammy history. On lists of the Grammy’s greatest performances and most memorable moments, Pink’s “Glitter in the Air” number is consistently ranked at or near the top.

The performance has been widely hailed as a watershed moment for Pink, proving her versatility and cementing her status as a true pop superstar with exceptional talent as a vocalist, entertainer, and artist. It also demonstrated her willingness to take bold risks and push the limits of live performance to new heights.

“It was an affirmation of things I already knew about her, but it definitely took her artistry to a new level in the public’s perception,” said Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich of Pink’s performance. “It’s gone down as one of the most unique and amazing performances we’ve ever seen at the Grammys.”

A decade later, Pink’s 2010 Grammy performance remains the gold standard for what a live televised spectacle can achieve. It showed Pink’s incredible drive to deliver the impossible and provide an experience unlike anything seen before. Though Pink has delivered many other awe-inspiring performances over her career, her soaring Grammy appearance remains her crowning achievement.