P!nk's new album is a 'reflection' of her 'soccer-mom' status — but she still has 's--- to prove'

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This fall, P!nk returns with her first LP in five years. The set, called Beautiful Trauma and due for release Oct. 13, sees her command power ballads, like on the lead single “What About Us,” streaming below, as well as stomping anthems, like the Jack Antonoff-assisted title track.

“There was no other goal than to not have an album full of slow, sad songs,” the 38-year-old tells EW of the forthcoming collection.

As for teaming up with Taylor Swift-cohort Antonoff, “I thought we might have fun together,” she says, “and I was right.” Below, the singer dishes on propping up lemonade stands with her kiddos, returning to the studio — and why she’s not “speed-dating” for more fans.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This is your seventh studio album. What did you want to accomplish with this one that you haven’t before?
P!NK: There was no other goal than to not have an album full of slow, sad songs, because that’s all I had for a while. And I just wanted to record better than I have before. I’ve never been that great of a recorder, [I’ve always been] better live.

It’s been five years since your last record, The Truth About Love, and the world looks a lot different now, both politically and personally — you’ve had a second child since then. How has that influenced this new music?
It’s all a reflection. I had a lot of time to live my life between records this time, more than I’ve ever had before. We’re always very involved with real people with real struggles and are constantly watching the news and taking it all in. But at the same time, we live on a farm, so I’ve been a soccer mom for four years, taking my daughter to preschool, doing bake sales, lemonade stands, kindergarten, and all that sort of s— stuff! Each album is a snapshot of where you are at that time, if you’re being honest.

You worked with Jack Antonoff on the anthemic title track. Why’d you seek him out?
I love Jack. I had worked with [Antonoff’s bandmate] Nate [Ruess] from fun., and I just love [Jack’s] full thing: this quirky Bruce Springsteen-loving rad New Jersey dude. He’s so lovable. I thought we might have fun together, and I was right.

This many tours in, with millions of albums sold, what’s motivating this new era of your career?
It’s who I am. I get to be creative. I get to write songs. How rad is that? I get to go on tour with all these people who are my family. Do I still have s— to prove to myself? Yes. I feel like the people who get it, get it. And the people who don’t aren’t ever going to. I’m at a place where I’m really okay with that. I don’t need to court. I’m not speed-dating. I’m just doing what I do.