Jennifer Lopez has joined forces with Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda for a new song to benefit the victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre.
The creator and star of the Tony-winning musical Hamilton teased fans about some big news on Twitter.com early on Monday, as Americans celebrated Independence Day.
“I have a treat for you at noon,” he wrote. “A taste of some new music you don’t need tickets to hear”, a reference to the hugely popular production, which is sold out until next year.
Miranda kept his promise and returned to Twitter three hours later, revealing his new project with J.Lo would help to raise funds for the Hispanic Federation’s Proyecto Somos Orlando initiative, which was set up in the wake of the 12 June attack, when a gunman shot and killed 49 people and injured another 53 at gay nightclub Pulse. The Florida incident has since been labelled the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.
Announcing the new song Love Make The World Go Round, Miranda tweeted, “Sooo @JLo & yours truly went in on a tune that will benefit https://hispanicfederation.org/SomosOrlando/ here’s a taste!”
Jennifer then shared a clip of the duo at work and captioned it, “Me and @Lin_Manuel working in studio (sic) on something very special… #LMTWGR #LoveMakeTheWorldGoRound #happy4thofJuly”.
The video footage features Miranda rapping, “A generation of innovators enabled to patiently wait for change ’cause change is what they’ve been afraid of/the malevolence can wait, raise a level of debate, celebrate, elevate”, as Lopez sings the title and adds, “We’re not staying inside today/they’re not taking our pride away”.
Organisers behind Proyecto Somos Orlando are aiming to use the charity drive to improve mental health services in the local Hispanic community to help the victims and families of the shooting.
A mission statement posted online continues: “Proyecto will enable care to be delivered to those affected directly in the communities in which they live. Beyond emergency assistance, they will be provided with case management, crisis intervention, and mental health services, among other needs.”
The Orlando massacre took place hours before the 2016 Tony Awards took place in New York, prompting ceremony officials to dedicate the event to the victims of the tragedy.
After winning Best Original Score, Miranda used his platform to recite a sonnet about the day’s events, saying, “I’m not freestyling. I’m too old. I wrote you a sonnet, instead.”
“We chase the melodies that seem to find us,” he began with tears in his eyes. “Until they’re finished songs and start to play. When senseless acts of tragedy remind us that nothing here is promised, not one day. This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall, and light from dying embers Remembrances that hope and love last longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love; cannot be killed or swept aside… Now fill the world with music, love, and pride.”
Me and @Lin_Manuel working in studio on something very special… #LMTWGR #LoveMakeTheWorldGoRound #happy4thofJuly pic.twitter.com/9WE7ato00o
— Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) July 4, 2016
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