Pink puts Australian tabloids on blast as Sydney concerts scrapped due to illness

Pink has never phoned it in, she’s never faked injury or illness and she has zero time for “parasitic” Australian paparazzi.

The U.S. pop star hit back after she was targeted by “snarky” tabloids and paps who implied she bailed on her opening Beautiful Trauma Sydney date to hit the beach.

Just one day after postponing last Friday’s show at Qudos Bank Arena due to an “upper respiratory infection,” Pink (real name Alecia Moore) was snapped with her family relaxing on the beach in Byron Bay.  A handful of titles ran with the story and the criticism stung.

The “So What” singer fired off a lengthy post to clear-up matters and assure  fans she wasn’t taking the easy route. “You can think whatever you want, it’s your right, but I have never taken advantage of any one in my entire life,” she wrote on Instagram. “I have never fucked off while disrespecting hard working people who spend money to come see me play. I have never phoned in a single tour, I have an impeccable record for not cancelling. I mother with everything I have whilst handling all the rest. The snark in this is unbelievable and makes me long for a nicer world. I’m doing the absolute best I can, and you can believe it or not.”

Fellow parent-on-tour Justin Timberlake also jumped to her defence. Read her full Instagram post below.

Apparently, the fresh beach air didn’t do the trick. Late Monday, Live Nation announced Pink’s show that evening in Sydney would also be postponed “on medical advice.” According to a statement, Pink was admitted to hospital on Sunday night, treated and discharged. She was readmitted on Monday and Tuesday’s show has also been scrapped. All of which draws a line under the negative coverage. The concerts giant insists the shows will be rescheduled.

P!NK’s performance scheduled for tonight at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena has been postponed.

Pink was admitted to Hospital on Sunday night, treated and discharged.

She was readmitted on Monday.

A further announcement will be made when an update becomes available. pic.twitter.com/AyTN7wu9Sx

— Live Nation AUS & NZ (@LiveNationOzNz) August 6, 2018

It’s not the first time Pink has had a run-in with the Australian press. Back in 2006 and 2007, she took a beating from the media, farmers and politicians for her call to boycott Australian wool over the treatment of sheep (specifically, the practice of mulesing). Though she did backtrack on her comments, admitting she “could have done a lot more research” on the issue.

None of it hurt her popularity with Australian fans, and by decade’s end Pink was smashing touring records for fun. Her 2009 Funhouse tour was a juggernaut, criss-crossing the country for 58 arena dates over three months and selling more than 650,000 tickets. On her last concert run here, for 2013’s The Truth About Love Tour, Pink performed 46 dates and again shifted upwards of 600,000 tickets.

Pink’s Beautiful Trauma tour of Australia continues with dates Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at Qudos Bank Arena, before moving to Brisbane Entertainment Centre next Tuesday for the first of seven shows.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.