J-Lo, Britney Spears, Pink, and other artists join hands in musical tribute for Orlando victims. (Photo : Getty Images/Gerardo Mora)
Twenty-four of the biggest names in music - including Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Mary J. Blige, Selena Gomez, Jason Derulo, Meghan Trainor - have come together to lend their voices for a musical tribute in honor of the victims of the Orlando massacre.
The all-star release, entitled "Hands," debuted on iTunes on July 6, according to E! News.
Proceeds from the song will benefit the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre victims. The funds will help families of the victims with counselling and medical care. They can also use it for education.
The profits will be distributed by Equality Florida Pulse Victims Fun, GLAAD (formerly the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), and the LGBT Community Center of Central Florida, the entertainment news site reported.
Completing the list of featured artists are Adam Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, RuPaul, Nate Ruess, Troye Sivan, Tyler Glenn, Ty Herndon, Alex Newell, Mary Lambert, MNEK, Prince Royce, Jussie Smollett, Halsey, Juanes, Imagine Dragons, and the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles.
The charity single from Interscope Records was written and produced by Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, and BloodPop. Bloodpop and Tranter also produced the song, along with Mark Ronson.
In a statement, Tranter said that the second he heard about the tragedy, where many of his "LGBTQ brothers and sisters lost their lives," he immediately flew to Orlando to volunteer and help in any way. He added that putting the charity single together is just a way for him and for everybody involved in the project to keep volunteering their help and to promote love and world peace.
The massacre, which took place on June 12 at an Orlando gay nightclub named Pulse, had killed 49 people and injured 53, making it one of the deadliest mass shooting incidents in the United States and also one of the deadliest acts of violence directed towards the LGBT community.
According to Billboard, Tranter and GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also pointed out that the shooting was a profound attack on people of color, too, as that particular evening was a popular "Latin Night" at the nightclub. Ellis said the fact that most of the victims had Latin heritage is something she does not want people to forget.
