Alexa Ford ‘26, Social Media Manager
As the divide between political views continually grows, the line between pop culture and politics diminishes. Politics are not limited to campaigns anymore, they are widely talked about on social media among people and famous figures. This mix of pop culture and politics has changed the way that people engage with issues, and it has made politics easily influenced by trends and others’ opinions. Between social media influencers and popular artists, we can see their political standpoints clearer than ever before. This is important to help educate, and even influence fans to vote.
According to Pace University, Beyoncé’s song “Freedom” was used in Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. Harris is a perfect example of how celebrity endorsements like songs, interviews, and social media are used to try to impact elections. Beyoncé’s song “Freedom” speaks about feminism, personal redemption, and innumerable challenges. Harris was using this song to help her campaign in the election to symbolize her standpoint in the presidential election with lyrics “Freedom! Freedom! I can’t move Freedom, cut me loose!” Beyoncé performed during a Harris rally, before speaking out and telling people to vote for Harris. Her music being performed at a rally demonstrated where she stood and how the song leans towards embracing the Democratic Party.
Moreover, Taylor Swift took her political activism to her social media pages during the 2024 presidential election. Swift posted on her Instagram page on Sept. 24, 2024, and said, “I’m voting for [Harris] because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.” Her post was a hot topic during this time, as not many other artists came out and directly shared who they were voting for. This post caused Swift to gain fans, as well as lose others. Based on the FSU News, Swift promised fans to speak more openly about her stance in politics and views of the world. However, ever since this post, she has rarely spoken out about her views, only occasionally women’s rights. This silence caused fans to be deeply hurt after her 2020 Netflix documentary Miss Americana which mainly was about how she navigated public and private struggles of being a female artist, and embracing her female voice. She expressed her discontentment with ignoring political beliefs to placate the feelings of politicians and social norms.
Additionally, Kid Rock has also been public about his Republican stance. According to USA Today, in an Instagram video he says he disagrees with Eminem, whom he referred to as his friend and Swift, who supported the Democratic Party. He gave them the credit for standing up and not being afraid to vocalize what they believe in. He went on to say, “Thinking differently, and having the freedom to do so, is what makes this country so great.” During the Republican National Convention in July of 2024, Kid Rock performed. During this performance he said, “We must remember that most of our left-leanning friends are good people who want the same things in life that we do, but simply think differently on how to get there.” Kid Rock made his support of the Republican side known while being considerate to everyone who he may not agree with.
Ultimately, if you have a large fanbase, and are a very well-known public figure, it is very important on how you deliver your opinions on most things in this world. This delivery is especially crucial when speaking on politics. If you post something public on the internet, and never speak on it again, this is not only going to make people angry, but also confused. However, if you do speak about your political views online, you will receive hate and lose fans who do not agree with you; hence, this is likely why there is a lack of famous figures speaking on their views. With the line in pop culture and politics fading, acknowledging the impacts famous figures has on fans and how it influences and impacts them.
Lyon Life 