Why is it so important to know who Taylor Swift is voting for?

Today, celebrities are asked to take a political stance and share it, especially in the United States. For decades, many famous individuals have declared their support for a candidate or party, a practice that has become even more common in recent years. Several studies have shown that celebrity endorsements are highly effective in keeping the election debate alive and reminding people to register to vote. In doing so, celebrities also contribute to the image of individual candidates and, more broadly, of politics—toward which young people in particular feel increasingly distrustful. While quantifying the effectiveness of these endorsements is complex, U.S. politicians are increasingly seeking the support of famous singers or actors—and more recently, influencers. One of the most anticipated endorsements this year was from Taylor Swift. Although she had previously supported Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden, the American singer had not expressed her opinion promptly regarding this year’s elections. She did so shortly after the debate in September between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, posting on Instagram to announce that she would vote for the Democratic candidate.

In her endorsement post, Taylor Swift recalled that Trump had recently pretended to have her support: he had posted, on the social network Truth, some AI-generated images that suggested the singer backed his candidacy. The post was accompanied by the caption “I accept.” The images were designed to show fans of the singer—known as Swifties—wearing shirts with the slogan “Swifties for Trump.” In her Instagram endorsement post, Taylor Swift also signed off as Childless Cat Lady, a sarcastic reference to the Republican campaign that labeled Democratic women with this term. It is believed that Taylor Swift’s endorsement will help Kamala Harris present herself as a more fashionable candidate—something that was somewhat lacking in Hillary Clinton's image. Harris is also managing to appear this way through subtler endorsements, like that of Charli XCX, who described her as a “brat.” Beyoncé, on the other hand, allowed her song Freedom to be used as the soundtrack for Harris’s campaign—a way to express support without being too explicit. Conversely, when Trump used the same song in a campaign ad, Beyoncé's team immediately requested its removal.

The importance of endorsements in politics

The first celebrity endorsements of U.S. presidential candidates date back many years: Frank Sinatra supported at least three presidents—Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. A more recent and significant example is the support Barack Obama received from Oprah Winfrey, the most well-known and influential TV host in America. Obama was also supported by Beyoncé and LeBron James, who had never before made a public political statement. However, endorsements do not always work and can sometimes backfire. This was the case for Hillary Clinton, whose extensive Hollywood support contributed to her 2016 election defeat against Donald Trump. The overwhelming number of endorsements made her campaign appear too elitist and disconnected from ordinary people, leading many voters to favor the Republican Party. In 2019, Taylor Swift told Vogue that she had refrained from publicly supporting Clinton for fear that Trump would use it to his advantage. However, she faced criticism for that decision, and since then, she has consistently taken a stand in presidential elections. Last January, Margaritis Schinas, a Vice President of the European Commission, noted how last year tens of thousands of young Americans registered to vote in the 2024 elections thanks to a call to action posted on Instagram by Taylor Swift. He expressed hope that the singer could encourage more people, including Europeans, to engage in politics in the future.