The Swiftie Sway: The Power And Promise Of The Celebrity Election Endorsement
All it took was one Instagram photo of what appeared to be the US Democratic Party's presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ silhouette, waving behind Taylor Swift, to prompt speculation that the singer was on the brink of picking her ‘horse’ for November's election. In the hours that followed, the Swiftie-verse went into overdrive analysing Swift’s potential backing of the current US Vice President and further highlighted the 34-year-old’s omnipotent influence of the future of global politics, and beyond.
Of course, it’s not the first time this summer that celebrities have popped their heads above the parapet to support their favourite politicians. After Charli XCX Tweeted the immortal words ‘Kamala IS brat’ last month, the VP’s official Twitter page turned green and spurned countless retweets among fans of both the singer and politician, with ‘Camp Kamala’ meme-ifying her campaign for President to reach young voters largely swayed by social media rhetoric and trends.
After Harris announced her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, earlier this week, Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon Instagrammed that she was ‘Walzing on air’; Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph called him ‘an honest, forthright family man with morals and true values’; and Jamie Lee Curtis posted a picture of Harris and Walz, with the tagline: ‘LET’S GO AMERICA!’ Not only is the celebrity political endorsement an opportunity for A-listers to bump themselves onto the ‘right’ side of history, but a canny way for politicians to capitalise on a celebrity’s all-important influence, status and fan-base.
kamala IS brat
— Charli (@charli_xcx) July 22, 2024
Celebrity endorsements have a long history in politics, most notably in the US, from Frank Sinatra backing Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, to Oprah and Beyoncé supporting Barack Obama. Democrats have traditionally always held more cool capital than Republicans (Beyoncé sang at Obama’s 2013 inauguration, for instance, while ex-America's Got Talent star Jackie Evancho formed part of Donald J Trump’s lacklustre 2017 celebrity roster), but that doesn’t mean the Republican Party hasn't also attempted to cling on the coattails of a celebrity’s kudos. After all, its nominee ‘celebrity politician’ Trump, who previously was at the helm of a celebrity reality show, following decades of seeing his face splashed across tabloids and TV, is the physical blueprint of how to use power, money and fame to one’s advantage. At the Milwaukee Republican National Convention in July, MAGA voters cheered on as Kid Rock performed his hit 2000 single ‘American Bad A**’, before Hulk Hogan tore off his shirt off in a puzzling bit of pantomime.
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But navigating 2024 celebrity endorsers in an era when opinion can be disseminated on social media, without the filter and expertise of a political campaign team, can be a messy affair that balances on a tightrope of controversy and success at the click of a button. Yet, when done right (as seen with Charli XCX), it can result in myriad benefits for candidates like Harris, especially as they attempt to rally the support of over 69 million Gen Zs in the United States, many of whom have never voted before. Not only has Harris won the delegates’ support and that of former presidents Obama and Clinton, over on TikTok (where she has over 4.3 million followers) her videos continue to clog up the For You Page, and she’s developing a celebrity legion of followers including Ariana Grande, John Legend, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.
In the past, celebrity endorsements seemed like an optional decision for those willing to risk laying out their personal and professional cards. But in an era when it’s increasingly harder to detach a person from their politics, many don’t have the luxury of remaining silent anymore. As we’ve seen in recent weeks, Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance (he of ‘childless cat ladies’ commentary) are dangerous individuals, linked with police brutality and hateful attacks on minority communities. Project 2025 – a proposed Republican party platform which suggests limiting accessibility to abortions, making climate change a political issue, dismantling the Department Of Education, and cracking down on legal immigration – is an eye-watering manifesto of extreme, conservative policies for a potential second Trump term that would have devastating consequences for US voters. Celebrities are not always known for being the most self-aware (let’s not forget that cringeworthy ‘Imagine’ video in lockdown) but never has the US been more in need of powerful voices to use their platforms to educate voters and move the election needle to protect the future of the country’s citizens.
As the most streamed Spotify artist of all time globally, with 283 million Instagram followers and an Eras Tour that’s grossed over $1 billion and increased the global economy, Swift’s power to influence this election – culturally, economically and socio-politically – is indisputable. According to a recent study, 53% of US adults admitted to being fans of Swift; imagine that in action come November. In 2020, she lent her protest song ‘Only the Young’ to the Biden/Harris campaign. In September 2023, more than 35,000 people registered at Vote.org to vote after the singer encouraged her Instagram followers to do so. In her 2020 documentary Miss Americana, she made it clear what Republican values don’t chime with her, after she broke her political silence and publicly endorsed two Democratic candidates running for office in Tennessee.
It's not only Swift taking action to sway the ballot box, but her followers too. While it’s not affiliated with Swift herself, the @Swifties4Kamala Instagram account (run by Swiftie Emerald Medrano), now has over 31,600 followers, and counting. It describes itself as a coalition of fans who are backing Harris because she has the ‘experience, integrity, wit, and stamina to beat Donald Trump’. ‘As Swifties, many of us share core values and we believe @kamalaharris will protect these values as president. We want a future where everyone is safe and respected,’ one of the account’s most recent posts read. The account – which has a cat cartoon as its display photo, a subtle reference to Swift’s love of felines and a response to Vance’s cat lady comments – directs you to a Linktree page, offering articles on everything from LGBTQIA+ rights and gun safety, as well as a sign up to register to vote.
No one is expecting celebrities to know every Democratic or Republican political policy inside out – but the ability to be self-aware enough to admit when tides have changed, and the importance of educating oneself at a time when misinformation runs riot, is crucial. Twelve years after Swift told Time magazine, ‘I don't talk about politics because it might influence other people’, it appears she’s finally realising just how importance her voice and clout is on the global stage. This election will, as always, be decided by individuals – but the power of collectives, particularly the Swifties, shouldn’t be underestimated.
An endorsement – even from your most beloved singer/actor/sports star – doesn’t change what a politician stands for, nor should it fully influence your ability to gather facts and make your own decision about which party policies align with your values. When it comes to celebrity endorsements, there is very little room for nuance – and it’s the responsibility of educators, such as teachers and journalists, to inform the public about who and what they’re voting for, and to continue holding those in power to account.
A #BratGirlSummer might be how Harris is celebrating her campaign, but there’s much work to be done before 2024 election. What we must decide is what kind of summers we want ahead of us.
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