Last Tuesday, Georgetown University students took public transportation to watch Vice President Kamala Harris deliver her closing campaign speech just north of the National Mall at the Ellipse. Looking around at the packed Metro car, I felt a palpable energy we all shared. The charged longing that rippled among my peers, the strangers around us and myself was an atmosphere reminiscent of one I had been in before. It felt like we were waiting for a concert to begin.
This assessment is not far from the reality of this election season, as the musical artists performing at both Harris’ and former President Donald Trump’s events have essentially turned campaign rallies into concert venues. While the inclusion of musical artists in the political scene is not necessarily new, the 2024 election has offered a unique perspective on the intersection between culture and politics. Music, musicians and the growing prevalence of mass media have been not just tools to assist the respective candidates with their messaging but also case studies in unity and the extreme importance of civic engagement among the youth.
With only a week left until the election, much of the selected music for each candidate’s campaigns is strongly associated with the designated themes of the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance tickets. Beyoncé’s “Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” serves as Harris’ campaign anthem, and it wasn’t until last Tuesday that I realized just how critical of a selection that was. At the rally, I stood sandwiched between Georgetown students and strangers alike and, after three hours of waiting for the speech to start, people had grown irritable. One moment, the densely packed crowd members were pushing up against each other, fighting for more room, and in the next, “Freedom” began to play. I witnessed firsthand how the initial beat of the song quieted the complaining and softened the dirty looks. The feelings of hope, community and fiery impatience that had been associated with the campaign and its anthem for the last several months had been so deeply embedded into us that now, as we cry for “Freedom! Freedom!,” we are unified in a way that challenges the familiar divisiveness of today’s politics.
Musicians themselves have also worked as instruments of persuasion. Artists like Beyoncé, Cardi B, Gracie Abrams and Mumford & Sons have performed at Harris-Walz events across the country, most notably at those in swing states. Trump-Vance rallies have similarly featured musicians like Lee Greenwood and Mary Millben to appeal to audiences that could sway the election, such as that of the Puerto Rican population in Pennsylvania. Even if not present at rallies, several musicians have utilized their platform to endorse individual candidates. Among the most notable and controversial of these endorsements was Taylor Swift’s for the Harris-Walz ticket. Despite the fact that Swifties for Kamala — a national initiative aimed to mobilize Taylor Swift fans to vote and encourage others to do so as well — was kickstarted before the artist’s official endorsement, it still offers an example of how the influence of celebrities inspires constituents and their work in the political scene. Additionally, although it wasn’t an official endorsement and rather a nod of support, Bad Bunny’s promotion of Harris on his social media platforms was especially crucial, given his influence on the Puerto Rican population, whose votes are highly consequential to the election — especially in the swing state of Pennsylvania. Music and musicians are embedded into the political scene and, whether their viewpoint is implicit or explicit, candidates recognize their importance and fans mobilize in evidence of that.
Beyond campaign anthems and movements amid musicians to endorse a candidate, music in the age of TikTok and social media has had a unique impact on many young voters. Music is a means through which politics can be made accessible to our generation, and in this election, it has been uniquely manifested through viral trends and politics catered toward earning the youth vote. Popularly, Charli XCX’s “brat” has resulted in what one commentator labeled the “brat-ification” of Harris. This media marketing strategy coupled with several others, including that of using singer Chappell Roan’s “Femininomenon” to popularize Harris’ platform, has dominated the media and in turn connected young voters to the larger election. However, this attempt to appeal to the U.S. public could come with concerns that this Generation Z marketing strategy takes the focus away from actual policy and focuses on unsubstantial messaging.
While I am a strong proponent of an educated constituency that votes based on their independent research, I do not believe that the emergence of these trends detracts from the importance of policy education. Music extends a hand to those often overwhelmed by political discourse and excites people about the election where there may have been apathy before. Music is a small but mighty way to revitalize our generation and make clear our importance in the democratic process. When we can start to feel confident and motivated, we can start to contribute to our government, our society and the global community.
Music and musicians have been catalysts for discussion around social justice, politics and foreign affairs throughout U.S. history. While I can recognize the consistency of music in politics, the role of mass media in catering to Gen Z has been especially prevalent in discourse regarding the 2024 election. Music, musicians and the media have worked to challenge us to think beyond frameworks that seek to dominate — ones grounded in hate, animosity and violence. Instead, we can turn towards something we all desire: to feel hopeful.
I implore you, as a first time voter myself: Vote. Whether it comes from your favorite musician, your least favorite musician or an article in The Hoya, I hope you can find the inspiration to be a part of the voting community and exercise your right to speak up about the things that you care about. As close as our campus is to the White House and places of power, the true change happens on the ballot. Your ballot.
Mansi Peters is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences. This is the third installment of her column “Activism Through Art.”