Kamala Harris couldn’t be much more proud of herself just after the endorsement by pop icon Taylor Swift, which was fresh from her high-stakes debate with Donald Trump. It’s happened at the most critical time in the 2024 presidential campaign and has underlined how powerful celebrities can be. Swift is an activist with tens of thousands of followers, it would seem all things from politics to pop culture.
In an interview with Wired today, Vice President Kamala Harris responded to the public endorsement from Taylor Swift with a mix of admiration and humor.
“I am very proud to have the support of Taylor Swift. She’s an incredible artist, and I really respect the courage that she has had in her career to stand up for what she believes is right,”
Harris said. She also joked about how they disagree on one major issue: the Super Bowl-the singer is rooting for the Chiefs, while Harris is team 49ers. But their friendly football rivalry can’t compare to the deeper bond they do share-over matters like LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive freedom.
The results of Swift’s endorsement were almost immediate, indeed profound. That Swift wields such influence is at least partly gauged by the fact that within 24 hours of urging her fans to vote, over 400,000 people visited Vote.gov. In this increase in voter registration, Swift underlined her ability to rally her fans-many of whom are actually young and perhaps previously disengaged-into tangible action. Swift-who has 284 million followers on Instagram alone-used her platform to amplify Harris’s campaign message of calling attention to the importance of defending personal freedom in this election cycle.
It only makes a point with the following ones: Taylor Swift has been particularly outspoken about these issues for a while, which seem to be more on the social side of politics, specifically LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, and women’s rights. Her reason for supporting Harris, as well as her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, is Girl’s shared advocacy for these causes. Swift expressed praise for Harris’s “steady-handed leadership” and referred to her relentless battle for causes that still require one outspoken voice, from access to abortion to the pursuit of equal rights by marginalized communities.
Taylor Swift isn’t the only household name that’s supporting Kamala Harris in 2024. Harris got buoyed by a number of high-profile endorsements, from music superstars like Megan Thee Stallion and Quavo to icons such as Beyoncé. Megan Thee Stallion performed for an Atlanta rally, speaking deeply about reproductive rights-one of the last major talking points at the center of Harris’s platform.
Quavo, meanwhile, highlighted the need for stronger gun violence prevention measures. Beyoncé, who has allowed Harris to use her hit song “Freedom” as a campaign anthem, has also lent her influence, aligning the themes of justice and empowerment with Harris’s candidacy.
But beyond these household names are artists like Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, who have thrown their support behind Harris, emphasizing how imperative this election is in terms of protecting personal freedom. Eilish, a very outspoken environmental and social activist-along with her brother Finneas, has spoken about the dangers of extremist agendas and the need for young people to get out and vote.
These celebrity endorsements have given Harris a significant boost in visibility, especially among young voters. Many of those artistic supporters represent millions of active followers combined on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. That would make their followings a little more accessible than if Harris tried contacting them directly.
Harris’s emphasis on issues of social justice-such as protection of reproductive rights, protection for LGBTQ+ Americans, and action to combat climate change are issues that strike particularly close to the hearts of younger voters who see such causes as integral to their futures.
