Selena Gomez And Britney Spears' Song For Orlando Will Give You Chills
Mary J. Blige, Jason Derulo, Britney Spears and Selena Gomez are among the 24 artists behind “Hands,” a heartbreaking tribute song to the lives lost during the Pulse nightclub shooting.
The song was produced through Interscope Records, which promises to donate all US proceeds directly to the Equality Florida Pulse Victims Fund, the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida and GLAAD.
According to the video's description, the massive cast of singers on the track include Tyler Glenn, Halsey, Ty Herndon, P!nk, Prince Royce, Nate Ruess, RuPaul, Imagine Dragons, Juanes, Adam Lambert, Mary Lambert, Jennifer Lopez, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Kacey Musgraves, MNEK, Alex Newell, Troye Sivan, Jussie Smollett, Gwen Stefani and Meghan Trainor.
In addition to "Hands," Jennifer Lopez is currently working with Lin Manuel-Miranda on another song inspired by the Orlando shooting called “Love Make the World Go Round.”
The “Hamilton” creator, who accepted 11 Tony awards the day of the shooting, posted a small teaser of the song to his Twitter on July Fourth.
Sooo @JLo & yours truly went in on a tune that will benefit https://t.co/ddyoy7e5T8 here's a taste!#LMTWGRpic.twitter.com/5CPJuZsgPL — Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 4, 2016
The song's co-writer, Justin Tranter, says the artists all recorded in separate studios around the world. He told Billboard,
Interscope let us use their studio. Mary J. Blige recorded in New Orleans. Britney Spears in Thousand Oaks, I think. Pink in Santa Barbara. MNEK recorded at home in London. Selena recorded in her studio bus. Dan Reynolds recorded in his home. Adam Lambert was in Luxembourg. Ty Herndon the country star was in Spain. Kacey Musgraves, Nashville. Everyone just got it done.
He also says that the song's focus is about how this was a clear hate crime against the LGBT and minority communities and not any of the other narratives-- e.g. ISIS and the gun control debate-- that have come up after the shooting.
He says,
I'm not educated enough to speak on the political details. I'm a songwriter, not a politician. It could have been a million things but clearly, 100 percent, this was an attack on the LGBT community and people of color.
Citations: Selena Gomez JLo and other music royalty come together on a song for Orlando (Mashable)