Entertainment Music Melissa Etheridge Coped with Music and Connected with Fans After Son's Overdose: 'Very Healing' The rocker launched her at-home streaming platform Etheridge TV in June By Jeff Nelson Jeff Nelson Instagram Twitter Jeff Nelson is the Senior News Editor, Entertainment at PEOPLE. For nearly a decade, he has worked across the brand's entertainment verticals, reporting on breaking news and writing and editing across platforms, as well as securing A-list cover exclusives, including Barry Manilow's coming out and an at-home interview with Madonna. Jeff has appeared as an expert on Good Morning America, Extra, HLN and SiriusXM, as well as at RuPaul's DragCon as a moderator. He studied magazine journalism at Drake University, graduating with a B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 4, 2021 01:10 PM Share Tweet Pin Email After losing her son to an opioid overdose last May, Melissa Etheridge turned to music. The Grammy- and Oscar-winning rocker had already been performing daily live-stream concerts from her office during the pandemic. But when her 21-year-old son Beckett succumbed to a years-long battle with opioid addiction, she started a new project with her wife, TV producer Linda Wallem. Watch the full episode of People Features: Melissa Etheridge streaming now on PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite device. Melissa Etheridge. Magdalena Wosinska Melissa Etheridge Reveals She Felt 'Helpless' as Son Battled Addiction Before Fatal Opioid Overdose: 'You Can't Make Them Be Sober' "I told Linda, 'I'm going out in the garage, and I'm going to change that into a studio.' She looked at me like I was crazy, but she kept coming out here everyday with me. It took us about four weeks to build it all," says the singer-songwriter, who launched her at-home streaming service Etheridge TV in June. The project gave Etheridge purpose in one of the darkest times of her life. Performing during the pandemic and connecting with fans has been "very healing for me," she says Melissa Etheridge. Magdalena Wosinska Through the subscription-based streaming service, Etheridge airs five live shows weekly: a cover show (Tuesdays), a chat show with Wallem (Wednesdays), "Mamma's Choice" of her own music (Thursdays) and a behind-the-scenes look at old concerts and videos (Fridays). "It's fun," Etheridge says. "I really enjoy interacting with the fans. There are people who've been alone for eight months that watch us five days a week that we connect with, and it does as much for me and my wife as it does for them." Linda Wallem and Melissa Etheridge. Melissa Etheridge/Instagram And even after the pandemic ends, Etheridge thinks it will continue. "Etheridge TV is probably something we'll do even after I go back on the road; we'll take it with us," she says. "We'll find a way to stay connected. For more on Melissa Etheridge, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.