I\u2019m pretty sure we\u2019ve all heard of Taylor Swift by this point, or \u201cTay Tay,\u201d as my mom likes to say. I mean, even my grandpa enjoys dancing to \u201cShake It Off\u201d 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 \u201cThe Eras Tour\u201d. However, recently Ms. Swift has dipped her toes into a new pool\u2026 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Taylor\u2019s Instagram post, she states, \u201cI am voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.\u201d She continues, \u201cI believe we can accomplish so much more if this country is led by calm and not chaos.\u201d She signs, \u201cSincerely, Childless Cat Lady\u201d. This hilarious finish serves as a clap back to Trump\u2019s running mate, J.D. Vance, who claimed that voting for Kamala would be putting the US in the hands of a bunch of \u201cchildless cat ladies\u201d. Clearly, neither person is too fond of the other, because the week following Taylor\u2019s announcement Trump responded by writing \u201cI HATE TAYLOR SWIFT\u201d in all caps, on his Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 \u201cYou Need To Calm Down\u201d, 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s 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, <\/em>roughly 18% of voters are undecided about who to vote for. (New York Times article)<\/a> In an additional poll taken by Newsweekly, <\/em>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\u2019s announcement, an article from CVS News<\/em> 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<\/a>) 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\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to Taylor\u2019s recent announcement, an organization has been made to voice the support of these alleged \u201cSwifties,\u201d for Kamala Harris. This fan-made group calls themselves \u201cSWIFTIES 4 KAMALA,\u201d with an Instagram account of nearly 65 thousand followers. This group could help increase clarity on Taylor\u2019s 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\u2019s lyrics into lines that support Kamala\u2019s 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\u2019s songs, \u201cMidnight Rain,\u201d from \u201cHe wanted a bride I was making my own name\u201d to: \u201cHe wanted Biden, she was making her own name.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to note that Taylor isn\u2019t 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)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n