Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Troye Sivan, Jennifer Lopez, Meghan Trainor, Pink, Mary J Blige, Tyler Glenn, Halsey, Ty Herndon, Imagine Dragons, Juanes, Adam Lambert, Jason Derulo, Mary Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, MNEK, Alex Newell, Prince Royce, RuPaul, Jussie Smollett, and the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles lend their voices and celebrity power to charity single “Hands” in support Orlando after the deadly Pulse Nightclub shooting.
Countless celebrities have voiced their support in the wake of the shooting at Orlando’s LGBT Pulse Nightclub last month. Nearly 200 artists signed a petition with Billboard calling for a reform of our gun control laws. Christina Aguilera released a tribute song calling for change, and now songwriter Justin Tranter has recruited a slew of artists to help raise funds for those affected by the most devastating shooting in American history. 49 lives were lost in the shooting, many of them members of the LGBT community.
Justin Tranter, one half of the writing talent behind Bieber’s “Sorry” and Gomez’s “Good For You,” teamed up with Interscope Records, songwriting partner Julia Michaels, and more to craft the single “Hands” in the days immediately after the shooting.
The 36 year old, openly gay musician was crafting his latest hit on the road alongside Selena Gomez before getting news of the shooting. His first response was to offer his support by partnering up with The Center Orlando. Being told “we need as many hands as we can possibly get,” Tranter was quick to fly in and offer his support doing whatever he could.
Upon meeting with GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, Tranter realized that he could do even more with the help of his fellow artists. While he had already offering physical support, he could use his lyrical gifts to help the world heal and continue raising funds to help educate others about love. Hence, “Hands” was born.
Tranter recruited voices for the single and was met with overwhelming support. “We assigned everybody what we thought would be the best part for their voice, and we asked them all to sing an additional part just in case,” he explained. The outpouring of love was so strong that he ended up with more than enough voices to fill the track.
“Hands” opens with a gentle piano line and Britney Spears delivering the chilling opening line “you can hold a gun or hold your heart.” Her sweet voice is soon joined by the remaining artists in a powerful crescendo and outpouring of love. “If a million hands can build a wall / a million hands can break it down” the sing on the post-chorus, calling for love and acceptance for all.
Listen to the beautiful charity release below!
The collaborative effort on “Hands” is truly a moving effort. Tranter has recruited some of the largest names in the industry, and they are all pleading for love and acceptance.
The artists aimed to create something lasting with the release. “We didn’t want to have any trendy electronic elements. We Wanted it to sound classic, timeless, and human,” Tranter explained. “We want this anthem of positivity to be played for years to come.” We see that as a very viable possibility.
Tweet out support for the release with the hashtag #ForThe49.
Pick up a copy of “Hands” on iTunes HERE. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Equality Florida Pulse Victims Fund, the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida, and GLAAD. While the immediate goal is to raise funds to support the community, there are also plans to use funds for educational outreach in the hopes of preventing future tragedies.
Weigh in on “Hands” below!
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