“That’s all we are is our stories,” said Grammy-winning artist Melissa Etheridge in conversation with PR and crisis communication strategist Molly McPherson, APR, at today’s General Session of PRSA’s ICON 2024 in Anaheim, Calif.
Remember that you are the one telling the story, and “make sure it’s something you want to live with the rest of your life,” said Etheridge, reminding the audience to be honest and authentic, as McPherson referenced passages from her book “Talking to My Angels.”
Etheridge spoke about growing up in Leavenworth, Kan., where she dreamed of becoming a rockstar. She then moved to Los Angeles to follow that dream, beginning by playing in lesbian bars.
Many artists have trouble reconciling who they are — telling one story publicly, but there’s another reality, Etheridge said. She decided: “I don’t want to be someone else. I don’t want to put a facade in front of me.”
She came out publicly onstage in 1993 at the Triangle Ball, part of President Bill Clinton’s inaugural celebration, and released her album Yes I Am later that year.
“It’s about changing hearts and minds,” she said. “You just keep being who you are… The most powerful thing our community did was to come out.”
She also noted: “We’re never going to agree on everything. The good news is that we’re always going to have contrasts and differences. And that’s what moves us forward.”
Etheridge then discussed “I Need to Wake Up,” the song she wrote for Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” for which she received a 2006 Academy Award for Best Original Song.
“You never know what it’s going to be, but if you put your love and your truth into something it gives it a chance to live… it’s limitless.”
“Anything in the largeness, is also happening individually in me,” Etheridge said about balancing darkness and light. “And the way that I can make the biggest difference out there is not to get everyone else to think the way I do or act the way I do, but to be the absolute best I can be because if I’m strong and if I’m healthy and if I’m full of joy, that’s going to count to people… What’s going to really push people away is if I start preaching and start trying to teach, which you can’t, it can only be learned. I can only help you learn it by my example of clarity, hope and joy.”
A life-changing spiritual awakening
Etheridge is also now celebrating 20 years of being cancer-free and reflected on how she had a spiritual awakening about life and purpose following her breast cancer diagnosis.
By speaking publicly about her emotions and struggles — including her cancer journey and her son’s passing due to opioids in 2020 — Etheridge says that this openness and authenticity has continued to come back to her in a beautiful way 20 years later. People often approach her and share similar stories of their families and how she has helped them find strength in the truth.
She also speaks a mantra at the end of her shows from the stage: “Be strong. Speak true.”
Etheridge attributes this strength and resilience to when “I realized I was causing myself so much pain by worrying what people thought about me. When you’re an entertainer, that’s your business. You want people to like your product,” she said.
She realized she needed to “start speaking what [she was] talking” and believe in herself enough because you can’t change everyone’s mind. “Not everyone’s going to like me — I’m like broccoli,” she joked.
“If you’re living a personal life you don’t like, it’s going to be hard to be honest about it. But for me, I make sure I’m making choices that sit well with me, that are not stressful,” she said, adding in jest: “But bad choices make great songs.”
Etheridge also said to pay attention and remember that it’s all about the audience. “Attention is worth more than anything in the world,” she said.
“It’s about truth — it’s about what moves you,” Etheridge said, noting that she only speaks publicly about things that have touched her personally. “And you hope to inspire — and maybe change hearts and minds.”
During an interview with Amy Jacques, PRSA’s managing editor, Etheridge discussed where she finds inspiration:
Etheridge also talked about the journey to being your authentic self:
[Jim Cowsert/Grapevine Photo]
The post ICON 2024 Recap: Melissa Etheridge on Authenticity and Speaking Her Truth first appeared on PRsay.