P!nk Says She’s ‘Always Felt Like a Big Sister’ to Britney Spears: ‘I’m Very Protective of Her’

P!nk opened up about her decades-long connection with Britney Spears in a new interview on Wednesday (Feb. 22).

Speaking to People as the magazine’s latest cover star, the “So What” singer dispelled any notion of bad blood between herself and her fellow pop star. “People think I was picking on Britney on ‘Don’t Let Me Get Me,’ but I’ve always felt like a big sister to her,” she said. (Memorably, P!nk sang, “Tired of being compared to/ Damn Britney Spears/ She’s so pretty/ That just ain’t me” on the self-loathing second single off her 2001 album Misundaztood.)

“I’m very protective of her, and she’s the sweetest person in the world,” P!nk continued, though later added she’s not currently in touch with the Princess of Pop. “I wish her well. I cover her in light all day long.”

Famously, the two teamed up with Beyoncé for Pepsi’s 2004 Super Bowl commercial, during which they appeared as gladiators ready to lead a caffeinated uprising against Roman emperor Enrique Iglesias set to a cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

“What a weird deal that was. What the hell? Like, ‘What are we doing?'” P!nk reflected during the interview about the iconic ad. “Also, you’re Pepsi. You’re flying us to Rome to shoot in a fake coliseum down the street from the real Coliseum. Why are we here? We could have gone to Canada. I don’t understand. That’s Pepsi money. For a while, everything I saw that was really fancy, I was like, ‘That’s Pepsi money.’ It was bizarre.”

Earlier this month, P!nk released her ninth studio album, TRUSTFALL, via RCA Records and revealed her plans for a fall arena tour in support of the LP. Read her full People cover story here.