Michael Jackson writes song for Katrina victims

Pop star Michael Jackson has written a song for the victims of Hurricane Katrina that he hopes to record with other top artists and release as a charity single, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Jackson, who raised more than $60 million for African famine relief with a campaign built around his anthem "We Are the World," was moved by the images of Katrina's destruction that he saw on television, publicist Raymone Bain said.

"It pains me to watch the human suffering taking place in the Gulf region of my country," Jackson said in a written statement. "My heart and prayers go out to every individual who has had to endure the pain and suffering caused by this tragedy."

He added: "I will be reaching out to others within the music industry to join me in helping bring relief and hope to these resilient people who have lost everything."

Bain said Jackson had already composed the song, tentatively titled "From the Bottom of My Heart," and planned to record it within two weeks after enlisting other top performers.

"In the next 24 hours he will be personally reaching out to all of the artists to ask them to join him in this project," Bain said, adding that none of the participants could yet be identified, reports Reuters.

Jackson, who left his Neverland Valley Ranch in California for Bahrain after his acquittal on child molestation charges in June, will record the song on a label owned by Bahrain's crown prince, Mr Bain said, and donate the proceeds to hurricane victims.

Mr Bain said Jackson was hoping to repeat the success he had with We Are the World, a 1985 charity single with dozens of the era's top recording stars that raised more than $US60 million ($78.8 million) for Africa, informs Herald Sun.