ICON 2024 Preview: Melissa Etheridge on Storytelling, Authenticity and Connecting With Audiences

This year’s ICON agenda includes 46 breakout sessions arranged in eight different learning tracks, keynote speakers such as award-winning journalist Gio Benitez and countless opportunities for networking. Attendees will take away valuable insights, new skills, and the latest tactics and strategies designed to solve the challenges faced in the communications profession today. Find the full ICON agenda here.

Grammy-Award-winning artist Melissa Etheridge will discuss her career journey and advocacy work during a keynote session on Oct. 16 at this year’s PRSA ICON in Anaheim, Calif. Ahead of the event, the singer-songwriter shared her thoughts on storytelling, authenticity and creating a sense of community with PRsay.

Your music has always been deeply personal and authentic. How do you approach storytelling in your songwriting, and what advice would you give communicators trying to convey authenticity in their messaging?

I find that stories are always more powerful when they have the element of truth in them. “Write what you know” has been the advice I have always taken. If you start writing what you think others will want to hear or what they might like, you will lose the power of authenticity. Write what you have learned, what was born inside you.

How has social media changed the way you’re able to interact with your fan base and the greater music community?

I am so grateful for social media. In the ’80s and ’90s, I only had reviewers feedback to go on. I only knew if people liked what I was doing by record sales. To be able to read instantly what the everyday person feels about the music is a real blessing. The good, bad and ugly of it all is so helpful.

In your one-woman show, “My Window — A Journey Through Life,” you share your life story in an intimate setting. What was the most challenging aspect of translating your personal experiences into a live performance, and how did you ensure that your story remained relatable to a diverse audience?

“My Window…” Was challenging on many levels. The sheer stripping down of my whole life was quite an undertaking. Just to get the show down to two hours was hard. It was important that the audience could relate to a story of growing up, experiencing joy and pain, learning and moving on.

You’ve been a public figure for several decades, maintaining relevance across different generations. How have you adapted your storytelling approach over the years to resonate with changing audiences, and what lessons can PR professionals draw from your evolution?

I have found over the years that, as long as I stay close to my own truth, to that which resonates with me, people of all ages and lifestyles can relate and appreciate that. Whether they agree with it or not.

You recently released a soul album, focusing on the storied Stax repertoire and Memphis sound. How and why does this historic form of music feel relevant today?

If you have been around music for as many years as I have been, then you know and understand that music has been inspired by everything that came before. Rock-and-roll especially. The gospel and blues that came before is the solid bedrock that it was built on.