It’s been one month since the horrific act of terror took the lives of 49 beautiful souls in Orlando, Florida. Since then, it feels as not too much has happened in the way of fixing the culture around violence in America. Yet, this time, artists are still not staying silent. This time a contingent of artists including:
Mary J Blige, Jason Derulo, Britney Spears, Tyler Glenn, Selena Gomez, Halsey, Ty Herndon, Imagine Dragons, Juanes, Adam Lambert, Mary Lambert, Jennifer Lopez, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Kacey Musgraves, MNEK, Alex Newell, P!nk, Prince Royce, Nate Ruess, RuPaul, Troye Sivan, Jussie Smollett, Gwen Stefani, and Meghan Trainor.
Have banded together for song that reminds us of the power we all possess as human beings in the song ‘Hands.’
As an American, it feels like every day I turn on the TV just to see one more person being killed in a senseless act of violence. ‘Hands’ is that reminder that we all have the power to stop this from occurring. ‘Hands’ not only stands out for the 49 lost in Orlando, but is a constant reminder during these recent protests (no matter where you stand on the situation.) that violence for any reason is not the answer. Love is.
‘Hands’ is a classic approach on a charity single without becoming too mournful. A gentle pop melody and natural vocals carry a strong message from artists doing what they do best. One person cannot change the world alone. If we tear down the walls that separate us, we can come together and rise up as one.
In the lyric video, you have many familiar faces. Every race, every sexuality, every gender identity. Including survivors of the shooting at Pulse. These are the faces of the world around us. We can make this world a better place for us, and them. As the outro says “if a million hands can build a wall, a million hands can break it down.” I guess the power is really in our ‘Hands’. How do you choose to use it?
Proceeds from the sale of the new tribute single in the United States will benefit Equality Florida Pulse Victims Fund, the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida, and GLAAD.