Beyoncé Joins Kamala Harris’ Campaign with Surprise Contribution

Beyoncé seems to be signaling her support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential run through song.

On Monday, Harris made an appearance at her Wilmington, Delaware campaign headquarters after President Joe Biden endorsed her candidacy. As she entered, the vice president walked out to “Freedom,” a track from Beyoncé’s seminal 2016 album, “Lemonade.”

According to CNN, Beyoncé’s representatives have officially granted Harris permission to use “Freedom,” which features Kendrick Lamar, while on the campaign trail leading up to the November 5 presidential election.

In her speech on Monday, Harris emphasized the song’s themes of self-empowerment and forward-thinking. “What kind of country do we want to live in: A country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law?” she asked the crowd. “Or a country of chaos, fear, and hate?”

Though Beyoncé has not formally endorsed Harris, she has shown support for Democratic presidential candidates in the past. In 2013, she performed the National Anthem at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. In 2016, she headlined a pre-election concert for nominee Hillary Clinton.

She also endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 with a short video shared on Instagram.

Harris attended the Washington, D.C., stop of Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour last summer and has praised the 32-time Grammy winner in various interviews. Speaking to People magazine last year, she named “Break My Soul,” from Beyoncé’s 2022 album “Renaissance,” as her favorite. “I play it all the time,” Harris said. “I think it’s one of the anthems for women … when [Beyoncé says] ‘you,’ you could be life, you could be a person, you could be a situation. You will not break my soul. I can endure.”

While “Freedom” might be Harris’ unofficial campaign anthem for now, other pop artists are also showing their support. On Sunday, Charli XCX responded to early reports of Harris seeking the Democratic presidential nomination on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a self-referential comment. “Kamala IS brat,” she wrote, nodding to the title of her latest album.

On Monday, Katy Perry, who endorsed Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020, shared a short video featuring her latest single, “Woman’s World,” along with footage of Harris, on social media.

It seems that the music world is engaging actively in the political sphere, adding unique layers of influence and support as the campaign unfolds. Whether through anthems of empowerment or direct endorsements, these musical artists are contributing to the larger narrative of the upcoming election.

Source: CNN, People Magazine