Beyoncé gives Kamala Harris ‘Freedom’ to use her music on campaign trail
Beyoncé gave Kamala Harris 'Freedom' to use her music on the campaign trail. The singing superstar's mom also showed support.
Beyoncé reportedly gave Kamala Harris her blessing to play “Freedom” on the campaign trail.
The presumptive Democratic nominee for president entered her campaign headquarters in Delaware with that song playing Monday. According to CNN, permission to use the 2016 tune came straight from the 32-time Grammy Award winner hours before Harris formally kicked off her campaign to succeed her boss, President Joe Biden.
Harris became the instant frontrunner to represent the Democratic party when Biden announce Sunday he would not seek a second White House term. The Democratic National Committee holds its convention next month to coronate its next leader.
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, picked “youthful” Harris as her candidate Monday.
“Thank you, President Biden for your service and your leadership,” Knowles wrote on Instagram. “Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President.”
Beyoncé hasn’t formally endorsed a candidate for the 2024 election. She supported the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020.
The song “Freedom” closes with the singer’s mother-in-law saying “I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade.”
When the Republican National Committee made Trump the party’s nominee at their convention last week’s convention, singer Lee Greenwood performed “God Bless the U.S.A.,” which is Trump’s campaign anthem.
The GOP candidate has largely seen musicians and their estates ask him not to use their music at his events. That includes Tom Petty, Prince, Adele, Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses, Neil Young, R.E.M., Rihanna, the Rolling Stones and the White Stripes.”
Grammy-nominated singer Kid Rock — a fervent Trump supporter — also performed at last week’s Republican convention. He retooled his 2000 song “American Bad Ass” to include the chorus “Trump! Trump! Trump!”