By Kyra Macomber
The most recent Presidential debate drew in 67.1 million viewers. With this being an important election for many on either side of the political spectrum, and with a somewhat last minute change in the Democratic nominee, the eyes of the American people are looking to political leaders no matter their tax bracket. It seems this is especially true of the now most-awarded artist in VMA award history, Taylor Swift.
Her name evokes feelings in many people, from devotion and love, to hatred, to respect and even confusion. In a media climate so completely overrun by her image, it’s hard to maintain a neutral position on her success or artistry. However, it is hard for anyone to discredit her impact, which seems bound to no industry or topic. In 2020, she touches on becoming more politically active, detailed in her documentary Miss Americana, in both her music with songs like ‘You Need To Calm Down’ and ‘Only The Young’ encouraging her younger audience to register to vote.
The artist has been notably silent for the duration of this campaign cycle. However, with other celebrities speaking out in spades with support on either side, TIME Magazine’s 2023 Person Of The Year has kept her cards close to her chest. Swift’s fans were beginning to get restless, with more extreme groups calling for people to sell their tickets for the final performances of The Eras Tour and boycotting her music unless she spoke out in support of Kamala Harris. Others said they would abandon the artist if she gave support to the democratic nominee. All of this became more intense once Brittnay Mahomes, wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, made her support of Donald Trump known. Because of Taylor’s relationship with the couple through her boyfriend Travis Kelce, fans once again demanded she speak out or disparage Brittnay Mahome's name.
It seems Miss Swift always stays a step ahead. Immediately following the Presidential Debate, she posted her support for the Harris-Walz administration and openly reprimanding Donald Trump for his use of her likeness in an AI-generated ad for his campaign. This may seem coincidental or like a last-minute decision by Taylor’s team, but an hour later Kamala Harris left her conference to the tune of The Man by Swift which takes much more time than an hour to have approved. The next day, Harris-Walz friendship bracelets appeared on their website, seemingly a nod to the popularization of beaded bracelets from Taylor Swift herself. Combined with the link Taylor posted to register to vote which was clicked on more than 337,000 times according to NBC. The impact of this move has been undeniable. She has motivated a large group of impressionable voters with a move that has obviously been in the works for longer than any accusations regarding her supposed silence.
Most importantly, by delaying her endorsement of Kamala Harris, Taylor Swift has prolonged the conversation surrounding these candidates. On one of the biggest nights leading up to the 2024 election, Taylor made sure the eyes of a very large, younger demographic were watching and talking to each other and their families and friends about this upcoming election.