While celebrity endorsements for political candidates is nothing new, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s potential endorsement of incumbent president Joe Biden in this year’s presidential election has provoked media speculation and right-wing conspiracy theories. Caroline Leicht writes that Swift’s parasocial relationships with her fans make her messaging – including the political – more effective and that, if she decides to do so, her upcoming US tour could provide an impactful stage to make her endorsement of Biden.
- This article is part of ‘The 2024 Elections’ series curated by Peter Finn (Kingston University). Ahead of the 2024 election, this series is exploring US elections at the state and national level. If you are interested in contributing to the series, contact Peter Finn (p.finn@kingston.ac.uk).
As Joe Biden prepares to once again run against Donald Trump for the White House this November, he has his eyes on a different prize for now: Getting the singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s endorsement for his re-election campaign. Trump seems to be keenly aware of Swift’s political influence as well, claiming on Truth Social that he had made Swift “so much money” and that she could therefore not be “disloyal” to him. “There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump wrote in his post. But how did Swift become the most sought-after celebrity endorsement in the 2024 race?
The 2016 Election changed Swift’s views on getting political
Swift’s political engagement is still relatively new. Throughout the first decade of her career, she did not broadcast her political views. That changed in 2018 when Swift publicly endorsed two Democratic candidates in Tennessee in the run-up to that year’s Midterm Elections and encouraged her social media followers to register to vote. In the 24 hours following her post, vote.org recorded 65,000 new voter registrations nationally, with 2,144 of those in Tennessee.
In her 2020 Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, Swift explained that her decision to break her political silence during the 2018 Midterms had been prompted by developments since the 2016 election. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican candidate in Tennessee that Swift spoke out against in her Instagram post, sharply criticized Swift after the Midterm Elections, claiming the singer “came after” her.
Cookies and songs for Biden/Harris in 2020
Swift doubled down on her public support for Democrats during the 2020 elections. A month before Election Day, she shared her support for the Biden/Harris ticket via social media. In the post, Swift presented a plate with “Biden Harris 2020” cookies to her millions of followers and shared an interview with V Magazine in which she spoke about why she would be voting for Biden.
Swift also authorized the use of her music in political advertising for the first time during the 2020 election, allowing Biden and Harris to use her song “Only the Young” in a video advertisement leading up to the general election. In her political endorsements to date, Swift has been particularly vocal about social justice issues relating to the representation and safety of underrepresented and minoritized groups.
“Taylor Swift Concert 8-22-15 (3)” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by celestigirl25
Parasocial relationships make Swift’s messages more impactful
Swift has continued to use her platform politically, including on National Voter Registration Day last year, and her calls to action continue to be effective. An explanation for this Swift phenomenon is rooted in parasocial relationship theory. Parasocial relationships stem from repeated and long-term engagement with public figures, and cause audiences to perceive celebrities as friends. This makes audiences more likely to follow their recommendations, giving celebrities significant influence over public opinion.
Swift herself has fostered such parasocial relationships with her fans since the early years of her career, inviting fans to listening sessions (“Secret Sessions”) at her home, meeting fans that her mother hand-selected from the audience after her concerts, engaging with fans on social media, sending Christmas presents to fans she observed on social media (“Swiftmas”), or paying fans’ bills when she sees them sharing their financial struggles on social media. Her fans’ parasocial relationships with her give Swift’s political messages significant potential to have electoral impact.
Swift’s potential endorsement draws media speculation and right-wing conspiracy theories
Public attention on Swift is currently at an all-time high. She was named Time Person of the Year 2023, broke records at the Grammy Awards, is continuing her sold-out Eras Tour, and is releasing a new album in April. Her relationship with the American football team, the Kansas City Chiefs’, tight end Travis Kelce is another contributing factor. With this increased media attention, Swift’s political views are also at the center of attention. Speculation about if, when and how she will make an endorsement in the 2024 presidential race has been ramping up in recent weeks.
Many expected Swift to make her endorsement at the Super Bowl on February 11th. While Swift did not use the opportunity to make a political statement, the Biden campaign used the momentum of the Swift speculation and the effect of humor in political communication: Following the Chief’s victory, Biden’s official X (formerly Twitter) account shared the “Dark Brandon” meme – originally a right-wing meme that the Biden camp has since reclaimed as a joke – along with the message “Just like we drew it up,” a nod to right-wing conspiracy theories that the Biden campaign was working with Swift and Kelce to rig the Super Bowl.
Swift’s tour schedule could work in Biden’s favor
Following her political silence at the Super Bowl, speculation about Swift’s endorsement plans have not ceased. But when and how might Swift make her much-anticipated statement? While Swift has made her endorsements on social media or through media interviews in previous election cycles, she can use a unique stage now: Her own Eras Tour stage. During her 2023 US leg of the Eras Tour, Swift announced two albums on stage before sharing the news with her millions of followers on social media.
She may do the same for her political announcement. Over the coming months, Swift will be touring in Australia, Asia, and Europe before bringing her Eras Tour back to the United States in the fall, performing in two “Red States” (Indiana and Louisiana) and one which was up until relatively recently, a “Swing State” (Florida) in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Given the timing of her endorsements in previous election years, it seems likely that Swift would share her support for the Biden/Harris ticket as she re-enters the US leg of her tour in Florida in October. Amid all the speculation about when and how Swift will make her endorsement, one thing is clear though: It will be a key campaign event in the race for the White House.
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- Note: This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of USAPP – American Politics and Policy, nor the London School of Economics.
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