Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is a singer-songwriter with 12 Grammys and is the only music artist to win Woman of the Year. In case you missed it, Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris on September 10th. In her Instagram post, which had her cat Benjamin Button on the cover, she spoke about how she, “like many of us, watched the presidential debate.” Swift said they (people reading her post) should do their research and choose their candidate depending on what they stand for. Swift openly stated voting for Kamala Harris. This makes a lot of sense seeing that she has also endorsed Joe Biden. Many believe this will make Swifties more inclined to vote for Harris.
Charli XCX
On Instagram, celebrity Charli XCX specifically stated “Kamala IS brat.” Charli XCX recently released an album called “Brat,” which is becoming popular worldwide. Charli XCX states that “Brat” is organized and cool. While not a direct endorsement, Charli XCX has praised Kamala by calling her “cool.”
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo is a singer-songwriter with two studio albums, Sour and Guts. On July 23rd, she posted on her Instagram story, resharing a TikTok clip from the presidential nominee’s first campaign rally as a 2024 contender. The clip in particular shared what Kamela thought about abortion rights. When Olivia kicked off her Guts tour she put part of the money into funds for abortion rights. This shows that Olivia cares quite a lot about abortion rights.
Megan Thee Stallion
On July 30th, Megan the Stallion endorsed Kamala and Georgia State University, and sang some of her hits including “Savage” and “Girls in the Hood.” Megan Thee Stallion has made quite a name for herself with 32.6 million followers on Instagram, 6.82 million on YouTube, and 15.4 million on TikTok. She is 29 and has three Grammys.
Katy Perry
The day after Taylor Swift posted on her Instagram that she was supporting the Harris-Walz campaign, her fellow singer-songwriter Katy Perry came out in a camo Harris-Walz hat. A few weeks prior, Perry posted a video hinting at her support for the Harris campaign.
Many believe that Perry is copying or trying to steal the spotlight from Swift and her endorsement of the presidential election. In the past, Swift and Perry had a complicated relationship and even wrote diss tracks about one another. Perry, however, is not so outright with her support on her posts as Swift was with her post supporting Harris. This may affect the people who see Perry as a role model and idol. They may even switch to the Harris side which could affect the presidential election.
How Do Celebrity Endorsements Affect Young Voters?
Celebrities endorsing Kamala Harris can affect young voters by raising awareness for Kamala’s campaign. Many young voters look up to these celebrities as role models and appreciate their opinions. Knowing that your favorite celebrity is voting for a specific candidate and standing with them makes voters more likely to trust the candidate because they trust the celebrity. For example, when Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris, all Swifties were inspired to learn more about the campaign. Especially for young voters, knowing that celebrities are voting and are involved with the political process makes potential voters want to be included whether it’s volunteering, talking with others, or voting because it sparks interest.
