Months of conjecture over whether the artist would openly support the Democratic party’s presidential candidate have come to an end with the appearance.
At a rally in Houston on Friday, Beyoncé officially joined Vice President Kamala Harris, ending much curiosity over her participation.
Her mother, Tina Knowles, introduced the singer, and Kelly Rowland, a former member of Destiny’s Child, joined her onstage. Willie Nelson, a country music artist, gave a performance earlier in the evening.
“A huge change is about to happen,” Beyoncé said to the audience. “I’m not a famous person here. I’m not a politician here. As a mother, I am here because I care about the world our kids live in, a world where we are all free to manage our bodies and where our past, present, and future are all one.
All of us are a part of something far greater. We need you, and we have to vote,” she said. Let’s get this done. Ladies and gentlemen, please extend a hearty welcome to Kamala Harris, the next president of the United States, from Texas.
Reproductive rights were the vice president’s main topic of discussion during Harris’ speech. “Freedom is not to be granted in America. It should not be given. We own it. Correctly. And that includes the basic right of women to make choices regarding their bodies without interference from the state,” Harris stated. She said that she would sign legislation restoring reproductive freedom into law as soon as Congress passed it.
“We are writing a new American story … of kindness and hope,” Rowland addressed the audience prior to Beyoncé’s speech.
“You showed up and you showed out,” Knowles said to her hometown Houston audience before joking, “I’ve been so blessed in my life to have many careers, many Black jobs.”
Months of conjecture around Beyoncé’s potential public endorsement of the Democratic party’s presidential contender have come to an end with her attendance. Beyoncé apparently gave her permission to use her song “Freedom” for Harris’ campaign. Since then, the song—which supports the empowerment of Black women—has evolved into an anthem for Harris’ 2024 campaign.
There were speculations at the Democratic National Convention that Beyoncé would make an appearance at some point during the four-day event. THR at the time, however, stated that the singer had no intention of going.
“We never made any public statements regarding Beyoncé. In August, Ricky Kirshner told THR, “We denied it every time the media asked us — even though, by the way, people on my staff didn’t believe me.” “News outlets kept texting me with questions like, ‘When is Beyoncé coming out?'” Come on, though; the Democratic presidential nominee is our biggest star. Why should we obscure that?
Beyonce is one of several celebrities that have supported Harris throughout this race. At the DNC, which also featured performances by Pink, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, and Patti LaBelle, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling, and Kerry Washington all gave addresses.
Stars including Jennifer Lopez, Ben Stiller, Julia Roberts, and Meryl Streep virtually joined Harris for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus hosted a panel during the day. Additionally, Taylor Swift openly supported Harris on social media.
