Melissa Etheridge felt called to speak on the Orlando tragedy. Photo / Supplied.
Melissa Etheridge has penned a new song in the wake of the Orlando shooting.
Speaking to The Rolling Stone, Etheridge said she was dealing with the tragedy the only way she knows how: writing.
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"I just sat here, and I just started writing a song... I feel called to speak; to do what musicians do," she said.
"We've been the town criers for hundreds of years. We're mirrors of society. We want to try to make sense. We want to try to heal. We want to bring some meaning, some purpose. We also want to put it down forever in history. That's how I'm coping."
The song is called Pulse, named for the club at which the shooting took place.
Etheridge, who has been an icon in the LGBT community since coming out in 1993, said "Pulse" reminded her that LGBT are "people who are loving...fighting for who we want to love".
As such, the song's lyrics include poignant words like: "I am human, I am love, and my heart beats with my blood. Love will always win, underneath the skin, everybody's got a pulse".
And: "Once again I hang my head to cry, I can't find the reason why they died. We will find the answer blowing in the wind - that everybody's got a pulse".
You can hear the track here.
The actress has sued Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment.