Melissa Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her distinctive raspy voice and confessional lyrics. Emerging in the late 1980s, her music blends elements of rock, folk, and blues, with notable influences from Bruce Springsteen and Janis Joplin. Etheridge's most influential work, "Yes I Am" (1993), brought her mainstream success and is considered a landmark album in the LGBTQ+ music scene due to her coming out publicly as a lesbian. She has received multiple Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for her contributions to music.