I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard of Taylor Swift by this point, or “Tay Tay,” as my mom likes to say. I mean, even my grandpa enjoys dancing to “Shake It Off” occasionally. The American singer/songwriter with over 280 million followers on Instagram has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years, succeeding her world tour known as “The Eras Tour”. However, recently Ms. Swift has dipped her toes into a new pool… politics. As of September 11th, 2024, she has publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for the presidential election of 2024. Her endorsement was planned strategically to follow the presidential debate between Kamala, and her Republican opponent, Donald Trump.
In Taylor’s Instagram post, she states, “I am voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.” She continues, “I believe we can accomplish so much more if this country is led by calm and not chaos.” She signs, “Sincerely, Childless Cat Lady”. This hilarious finish serves as a clap back to Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, who claimed that voting for Kamala would be putting the US in the hands of a bunch of “childless cat ladies”. Clearly, neither person is too fond of the other, because the week following Taylor’s announcement Trump responded by writing “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” in all caps, on his Instagram.
This is not Taylor’s first time sharing her political views with the media. When she started her music career in 2012 as a 22 year old artist, she dodged the subject. However, she has become more open about her stance in recent years. In 2019 Taylor produced a song called “You Need To Calm Down”, expressing her support for the LGBTQ movement. This hit song has gotten nearly 980 million streams since it was released. Then in 2021, prior to the election, Taylor posted about her support for the democratic party, which was represented by the candidate Joe Biden.
Now, I know this sounds silly. I mean, come on; a pop star influencing a major government election? However, this joke is more real than you might think. The majority of Swift’s music is received by Gen Z and millennials, Gen Z now ranging between the ages of 7 and 27. So, does this mean that her statement could sway young voters for this year’s election? Well, according to a recent poll done by The New York Times, roughly 18% of voters are undecided about who to vote for. (New York Times article) In an additional poll taken by Newsweekly, researchers found that roughly 3 in 10 Americans under 35 would be more likely to vote for a candidate backed by Swift. This is a relatively large demographic of Americans who could be swayed by the singer. Since Taylor’s announcement, an article from CVS News proves that over 400,000 people clicked on the link Taylor provided to voters.com, in the 24 hours following her post. (CVS News article) On the other hand, some people think one would be LESS likely to vote for Harris (or any candidate) because of a celebrity endorsement! I suppose time will tell…
Due to Taylor’s recent announcement, an organization has been made to voice the support of these alleged “Swifties,” for Kamala Harris. This fan-made group calls themselves “SWIFTIES 4 KAMALA,” with an Instagram account of nearly 65 thousand followers. This group could help increase clarity on Taylor’s position in the election and spread awareness to more of the artist’s supporters. They post about recent events, news updates, and song parodies that change Taylor’s lyrics into lines that support Kamala’s bid for the election. One example of this is when Harris reminded Trump that he is running against her, and not Joe Biden. The group changed the lyrics of one of Taylor’s songs, “Midnight Rain,” from “He wanted a bride I was making my own name” to: “He wanted Biden, she was making her own name.”
It’s important to note that Taylor isn’t the first person to voice her opinions about the upcoming election. Other pop stars such as Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Chappel Roan, have also expressed their support for Kamala. On the opposite side, several celebrities are promoting Trump as a viable candidate. This includes the CEO of Tesla and the founder of SpaceX Elon Musk. (Forbes article)
Only time will tell what this election has in store for the United States and the world. As of September 2024, the polls for Kamala vs. Trump are neck and neck, with Kamala in the lead by less than 3% (estimated). Persuasion from Taylor’s post could make all the difference. (538 article)
Works Cited
Ryan Best, Aaron Bycoffe. “National : President: General Election : 2024 Polls.” FiveThirtyEight, 18 Sept. 2024, projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/national/.
Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill. “Harris and Trump’s Biggest Celebrity Endorsements: Billie Eilish, Nicky Jam and More.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 Sept. 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/09/17/harris-and-trumps-biggest-celebrity-endorsements-billie-eilish-nicky-jam-and-more/.
McConnell, Liv. “Everything You Need to Know about Taylor Swift’s Politics.” Teen Vogue, 10 Sept. 2024, www.teenvogue.com/story/taylor-swift-politics-timeline.
ReporterFOLLOW, James Bickerton US News. “Will Taylor Swift’s Kamala Harris Endorsement Change Minds?” Newsweek, 12 Sept. 2024, www.newsweek.com/will-taylor-swifts-kamala-harris-endorsement-change-minds-1952551.
Leonhardt, David. “Who the Swing Voters Are.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Sept. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/09/04/briefing/who-the-swing-voters-are.html.
“Taylor Swift Drove 405,999 Visitors to Vote.Gov in 24 Hours after Kamala Harris Endorsement.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-kamala-harris-endorsement-vote-gov/. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.