Martina’s

It can happen at any time, in the most obvious or the most obscure moment.

We turn the music on, and it fills the space around us. And then a certain song rings from the speakers. Suddenly we’re moving our body in time with the melody and belting out the lyrics as if they are our own.

Music is powerful. It transcends time and space. It stirs emotions, triggers memories, creates empathy. We see others, and find ourselves in songs; they become the anthem of our lives — especially, it seems, in the face of challenging situations or personal struggles.

Sometimes a song resonates so powerfully with listeners that it becomes much more than a Top 40 hit.

When country music star Martina McBride recorded the 1994 single, “Independence Day,” she knew that somebody somewhere would realize that they weren’t so alone. She didn’t know that the song would have the resounding impact that it did upon its release and that it still does, more than two decades later.

“I loved the song, but I didn’t really know what would happen,” recalled McBride. “I hoped someone would find courage or inspiration in it.”

The song, written by Gretchen Peters, tells the story of escape from domestic violence from the point-of-view of an 8-year-old girl.

“When I recorded ‘Independence Day,’ I really got fired up about the issue of domestic violence,” explained McBride. “That was the first time I realized that I could do something really important with my voice other than singing.”

Not only was the song a breakout hit for the up and coming star, but it had a profound effect on domestic abuse awareness and propelled McBride into an active role as a spokesperson for the cause through the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Tulsa Domestic Violence Intervention Services, a role she maintains today.

Once McBride realized that as a star, lending her voice to a cause could make a difference, she ventured forward with determination and passion, working to raise awareness and foster support for various causes. She has used her voice time and again to bring life to songs that ask us to face some of the darkest realities that surround us.

“I have been really blessed with this career and with a platform where, when you say things, a lot of people listen,” she said. “So I feel like it’s important to use that stage to raise awareness and give back.”

In 1997, “A Broken Wing” once again brought the issue of domestic violence into the minds of listeners. In 1999, “Love’s The Only House,” asked audiences to consider how we’re all responsible for each other and that everyone needs compassion. The 2002 hit “Concrete Angel” used a heart-wrenching story to force us to recognize the devastation of child abuse and the consequences of doing nothing.

“It feels good. It’s good to know that you can use (music) to do more than just to make somebody dance,” mused McBride. “Even though dancing is good, too, and sometimes you just need to dance,” she added with a lighthearted laugh.

Devoted fan Sheila Jones found herself inspired to do more than just dance when McBride released, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” in 2011. The song, which tells the story of a husband supporting his wife through her battle with breast cancer, moved Jones so deeply that she reached out to McBride.

“She wanted to walk in a breast cancer walk, and she wanted to wear Martina shirts,” McBride recalled. “I said sure, and (Team Martina) has just grown from there!”

What began at the hands of one fan has evolved over the past few years into a global charity team dedicated to making the world a better place through volunteerism and donations. The organization’s efforts are far reaching and hard-hitting, from raising money for various causes such as cancer research and treatment to building playgrounds for inner-city kids.

Team Martina members work to fulfill needs in their own communities and in each town where McBride performs.

“Everything is individually chosen and researched and thought about,” explained McBride. “It’s so organic — it’s not a big huge organization — it’s fan driven and ongoing and it’s been really interesting to me.”

Some of the group’s missions are inspired by McBride herself, including their efforts to support orphans in Guatemala, those living in Covenant House International — a home for young girls who have been orphaned, abandoned or victims of abuse and human trafficking.

“I wanted to help so we started talking and asking, ‘How can we help?’” McBride said.

Once they hashed out their ideas, the team determined that bringing music into the girls’ lives would have a lasting impact, and so they set to work raising funds to provide instruments and classes to the house.

“Music is healing,” McBride emphasized. “So they can really use that as an outlet.”

McBride brought music to the girls living at the Covenant House homeless shelter in Newark, N.J., in another way. She, along with members from Team Martina, surprised the teens by stopping by to play some games and give them all ice cream, as well as tickets to her sold-out concert with George Strait for later that night.

“It was just bringing a little bright spot for them … to have somebody come in and make your day a little brighter, when you’re trying to overcome something,” McBride reflected, her voice warm and emotional. “We just try to do whatever we can to make a difference.”

Abuse and domestic violence remain at the heart of McBride’s efforts to make a difference, prompting the mother of three daughters to take a stand against teen dating violence. Her passionate determination to increase teenage and parent awareness about teen dating abuse, and to educate young women about how to develop healthy relationships, led McBride to unite with the National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline and Loveisrespect to create a program called My Time to Shine.

When her oldest daughter entered her teens, McBride began to think about her experience as a young girl.

“I can remember that when you first start dating you don’t know what you are doing, and sometimes what looks like love is really manipulation and abuse,” stated McBride. “It’s hard to navigate those waters when you don’t know what you are doing.

“Loveisrespect is such a great resource,” she said of the website. “It’s 24 hours, anonymous and it’s for everyone — whether it’s for you or if you have a friend or loved one who might be in a bad situation and you don’t know how to talk about it with them — it gives you the tools to start that conversation.”

And starting the conversation is the first step to stopping the cycle of domestic violence.

“Information is empowering, and it’s very important,” McBride said.

My Time to Shine reminds us that the teenage years are a time for self discovery, a time to explore passions and talents, a time to build healthy relationships, truly a time to shine. It’s something McBride makes sure to provide for her daughters.

“I feel like once you become a mother your responsibility is to another human being first and foremost and that changes how you view the world and what decisions you make,” she explained, adding that she avoids touring for long periods of time so she doesn’t have to leave her girls behind. But at the same time she wants them to see that she really loves what she does. “It’s all about setting an example and it’s exhausting and it’s totally worth it.”

As a mother and as an advocate, McBride embodies the concept of making the world a better place. On May 14, the star was awarded the prestigious Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award during the Music Biz 2015 Awards Luncheon in Nashville as recognition of her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts. She is also the recipient of the Beacon of Hope Award, scheduled to be presented during the Night of Broadway Stars on June 9.

But for her, it’s not the awards that measure success.

“Making the world a better place is a great thing to do on any level no matter how big or small,” she emphasized. “Giving someone a smile or a hello, or volunteering at a shelter — once you start thinking of the world as a community and to give back to that, that is what community is about.

“If somebody is in a dark hole or a funk and you reach out to help … that can really make a difference in their lives, and that is what it’s all about.”