P!NK didn't just open the 79th Annual Tony Awards — she delivered one of the ceremony's most talked-about moments in years.
"This woman is so talented. We don't give her enough credit."
That's not a critic. That's not a Broadway insider. That's a YouTube comment — and it now has thousands of likes. Two days after "Leading Lady Marmalade" aired live on CBS on June 7, the official Tony Awards upload has crossed one million views, and the clip shows no sign of slowing down.
The number, a Broadway-reimagined rework of the Grammy-winning 2001 supergroup hit she recorded with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and Mýa, was custom-written by Dear Evan Hansen and La La Land songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul alongside Mark Sonnenblick, and choreographed by Sarah O'Gleby. It featured more than 170 Broadway performers and swept up nearly every major production of the 2025–26 season into a single, joyful celebration.
What Happened on That Stage
P!NK descended from the rafters dressed as Peter Pan before former four-time Tony host Neil Patrick Harris interrupted her mid-flight to suggest she just be herself. What followed was one of the most physically and vocally demanding opening numbers in recent awards show history: P!NK belted the "Defying Gravity" battle cry from Wicked while simultaneously holding Harris in the air between her legs — fifteen feet off the ground.
She then shed the harness, threw on a top hat and pink corset, and launched into "Leading Lady Marmalade" alongside Megan Thee Stallion, Lea Michele, Shoshana Bean, Dylan Mulvaney, and a who's-who of the current Broadway season. Lea Michele's cameo earned the night's biggest laugh, stepping in to deliver Christina Aguilera's signature vocal moment and swapping in the lyric — "We don't do it for the awards" — a pointed nod to her notable absence from this year's nominee list.
The Internet's Reaction
One million views in under 48 hours is a significant milestone for an awards-show opening number, and the YouTube comments section reads less like standard fan praise and more like a collective apology.
"Wow, this was an opening number that felt like it actually included all of Broadway, not just the shows that are nominated. It just felt like the joy of live theater," wrote one viewer. Another went further: "I think P!NK needs an Emmy for that Tony Award opening."
And then there was the comment that started it all:
"Did I just watch P!NK do the battle cry from Wicked while holding Neil Patrick Harris with her legs? Do you know how hard that is — straining and also singing, but also making it beautiful? This woman is so talented. We don't give her enough credit."
On X, the reaction was equally emphatic. Posts calling it one of the best Tonys openers in years racked up tens of thousands of likes, and fans immediately demanded she host again. Sarah Paulson, in attendance at Radio City Music Hall, called the performance "incredible."
Why It Landed So Hard
Part of what made the number resonate beyond the usual awards-show spectacle was its generosity. Unlike openers that spotlight only the nominated productions, "Leading Lady Marmalade" swept up Broadway as a whole — nominated shows and snubbed ones alike. The "gitchie, gitchie" chorus became a roll call of leading ladies across the entire season: Laurie Metcalf, Carrie Coon, Lesley Manville, Betsy Aidem — every name landing like a standing ovation in miniature.
P!NK had telegraphed her intentions before the show. "It's just a full-blown ridiculous celebration," she said ahead of the ceremony. "I told them my one caveat was that immediately as soon as I step onto the stage, I have to make fun of myself, and make it absolutely just about fun and celebrating everyone."
She delivered on every word of it.
The Bigger Conversation
The viral moment has reignited a debate that surfaces periodically in music circles: is P!NK one of the most underrated performers of her generation? The 46-year-old pop-rock artist is a three-time Grammy winner who has been executing death-defying aerial acrobatics as part of her live show for nearly two decades, and her catalog underpins two active Broadway productions — & Juliet and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Yet she rarely features in conversations about the greatest live performers of her era.
Sunday's performance has prompted renewed discussion about her place among the strongest live performers of her generation — and if the comments section is any guide, audiences are more than ready to give P!NK the credit she has always deserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many views does P!NK's Tony Awards performance have? The official Tony Awards YouTube upload surpassed one million views within 48 hours of the June 7, 2026 broadcast.
What song did P!NK perform at the Tony Awards? P!NK opened the 79th Annual Tony Awards with "Leading Lady Marmalade," a Broadway-reimagined rework of the 2001 Grammy-winning hit "Lady Marmalade," which she originally recorded with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and Mýa.
Who appeared in P!NK's Tony Awards opening number? The performance featured over 170 Broadway performers, with notable appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Lea Michele, Neil Patrick Harris, Shoshana Bean, and Dylan Mulvaney.
Who wrote P!NK's Tony Awards opening number? "Leading Lady Marmalade" was written by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick, and choreographed by Sarah O'Gleby.
Has P!NK ever performed on Broadway? P!NK has never starred in a Broadway production, though her music is central to two current shows — & Juliet and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Watch the full "Leading Lady Marmalade" performance on the Tony Awards YouTube channel.
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