Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridgeresponded to the mass shooting at a Florida nightclub by doing one thing she felt she could do, which was write a song. Her debut performance of it in Torrington went viral on Facebook and was shared over 25,000 times.
Etheridge told Rolling Stone that she titled the song "Pulse" after the club where 49 people were killed and dozens more wounded in Orlando on Sunday, June 12. The song was written almost immediately after she heard the news and recorded on Monday, June 13 with producer Jerry Wonda.
Etheridge premiered the song at a concert at the Warner Theatre in Torrington on Wednesday, June 15. One of the victims of the shooting, Kimberly Morris, was a Torrington native, which Etheridge mentioned as one of her reasons for premiering the song there.
The song features a thumping, heartbeat-like rhythm and lyrics about how “love will always win,” but also seems to directly address the gunman when she sings, "Who you gonna gun down/When you can't kill the truth?” The concert performance of the song was an emotional experience for both singer and audience, with Etheridge fighting back tears as she performed.
The concert was taped for the CPTV series Infinity Hall Live. It will air on CPTV on August 26 and be available to stream on Infinity Hall Live’s website the same day.
Etheridge said that proceeds from the song will go to Equality Florida, an organization which promotes LGBT rights in the state.
Watch Etheridge perform "Pulse" on CPTV's Infinity Hall Live below:
This report contains information from the Associated Press.
